adjective

based

bayst

adjective

Having a particular place as one's main location or headquarters.

"The company is based in London but has offices worldwide."

"She is based in New York for the next six months."

Founded or built upon a particular idea, fact, or source.

"The movie script is loosely based on real events."

(slang) Confidently true to oneself, especially when that means holding unpopular or controversial opinions.

"People called him based for saying what everyone else was too afraid to say."

How to Use Based

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLocated somewhere, or built on a certain foundation — plus a newer slang meaning of "confidently yourself, no matter what people think."

When to use it

The slang sense ("that take is based") is internet and youth-culture slang, not appropriate in formal writing.

Common pairings

based in based on

Word Forms

more based comparative, more based comparative, most based superlative, most based superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “based” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The company is _____ in London but has offices worldwide.

Etymology

The past tense of the verb base, from base + -ed. The internet slang sense (confidently unapologetic) developed in the 2010s from earlier hip-hop slang.

Rhymes for based

cased eased biased chased leased erased phased pleased encased deceased unbiased diseased

See all rhymes for based →