Meaning & use
fundamentally
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
In a way that concerns the deepest or most basic part of something.
Grammar: Goes before an adjective or verb: fundamentally different, fundamentally changed.
Patterns
- fundamentally different
- fundamentally change something
The two plans are fundamentally different.
The internet fundamentally changed how people shop.
She disagrees with him fundamentally, not just on details.
adverbnot comparable
When you look at the basic facts or the main point, used to introduce a summary.
Grammar: Often placed at the start of a sentence with a comma.
Patterns
- Fundamentally, ...
Fundamentally, the problem is a lack of trust.
He is fundamentally a shy person who enjoys quiet evenings.
Fundamentally, both sides want the same outcome.
Common combinations
- fundamentally different
- Their approaches are fundamentally different.
- fundamentally flawed
- The plan was fundamentally flawed from the start.
- fundamentally change
- The new law will fundamentally change the industry.
- fundamentally wrong
- There is something fundamentally wrong with the design.
- fundamentally important
- Sleep is fundamentally important for health.
Synonyms and how they differ
- basically
- Basically is more casual and often just simplifies, while fundamentally points to the core of the matter.
- essentially
- Essentially focuses on the essence of something, and is very close to fundamentally but is a little less strong.
- radically
- Radically stresses a drastic degree of change, while fundamentally stresses that the basic nature is affected.
- at heart
- At heart is an informal phrase used mainly to describe a person's real character.
Opposites
Word family
- fundamental adjective
- forming the basic part of something
- fundamental noun
- a basic rule or principle, usually plural
- fundamentals noun
- the basic parts of a subject
- fundamentalism noun
- strict belief in basic principles, especially in religion
Commonly confused: fundamentally or fundamentalist?
fundamentally vs fundamentalist
Fundamentalist is a person who follows strict religious or political rules, while fundamentally is an adverb about basics.
Practice
The two proposals look similar but are ____ different in their goals.
Choose one answer.
We need an adverb to modify the adjective different. Fundamental is an adjective and the other forms are nouns.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fundamentally”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.