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fundamental

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word fundamental different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of fundamental are cardinal, essential, and vital. While all these words mean "so important as to be indispensable," fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse.

fundamental principles of algebra

When might cardinal be a better fit than fundamental?

The words cardinal and fundamental can be used in similar contexts, but cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends.

a cardinal rule in buying a home

When would essential be a good substitute for fundamental?

Although the words essential and fundamental have much in common, essential implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character.

conflict is essential in drama

When could vital be used to replace fundamental?

The words vital and fundamental are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation.

cut off from vital supplies

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fundamental
Adjective
The bulls pointed to Nvidia’s role as the premier chipmaker and the fact that compared to its fundamentals, the stock is still trading at a fair price. Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025 Instead, focus on the fundamentals of your business, your household and your local economy. Joe Nimmons, Denver Post, 9 July 2025
Noun
That’s the central irony, and fundamental weakness, of the doctrine guiding his administration today. Hal Brands, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025 The report reveals the fundamental reason why the jet crashed, but much remains unexplained. Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for fundamental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fundamental
Adjective
  • An analysis published on July 9 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science found that Trump’s cuts put a third of basic scientific research programs at risk, while the National Institutes of Health could have its budget cut by 40%.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 15 July 2025
  • This map was created in its basic form by Philadelphia cartographer Lewis Evans.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • To prove those true statements, mathematicians would have to add a new axiom.
    Gregory Barber, Quanta Magazine, 20 June 2025
  • In his first inaugural address in 1933, former President Franklin D. Roosevelt laid out a political axiom that would come to shrewdly diagnose America's thorny brand of insularity.
    Clare Morell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Given that it is supposed to be a raw, honest re-telling of a couple finding light amid disaster, The Observer report called the very essence of the book into question.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 July 2025
  • In essence, when both partners practice emotional sovereignty, the relationship becomes a safer space for growth.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • What began as rudimentary chatbots programmed to respond to queries based on keywords eventually evolved into GenAI.
    Vivek Ahuja, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • From behind the fence, at the white hut, a rudimentary but powerful loudhailer and speaker system is set up, from which a commentator fills every second of dead air with excitable exhortations to Allah combined with knowledgeable play-by-play analysis in machine-gun fast Arabic.
    Camilla Wright, semafor.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Kennedy’s views of individual ingredients oscillate between commonsense dietary maxims and conspiratorial musings.
    Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025
  • The maxim for so long in international trade has been to remove all sand from the gears.
    Ken Roberts, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Noun
  • Use cloud access or a small on-premises system to tackle a high-value optimization or simulation problem where classical methods struggle.
    Yuval Boger, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • In the following years, the early flood warning system that Eastland advocated for – and was once considered state-of-the-art – started to suffer problems.
    Curt Devine, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • In Uvalde, 19 elementary students and two teachers were killed.
    Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 8 July 2025
  • There are elementary and middle school programs, too.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Around the country, state lawmakers are twisting tax codes, raiding campus funds and rewriting financial rules to keep their flagship programs competitive.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 July 2025
  • The rules on how the league decides on replacements are not public.
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Fundamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fundamental. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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