SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
fundamental
adjective
Basic and essential to the nature or functioning of something.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Basic and essential
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topFundamental identifies something on which the rest depends; primary can simply mean first or most important.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See fundamental in use
A fundamental disagreement about the goal delayed the project.
Readability was a fundamental aim, and a usable contents page was integral to achieving it.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license