based

The word “based” means having a particular place as one's main location or headquarters. In plain terms, located somewhere, or built on a certain foundation — plus a newer slang meaning of "confidently yourself, no matter what people think.".

“Based” is pronounced bayst (/beɪst/ in IPA).

Here is “based” used in a sentence: “The company is based in London but has offices worldwide.”

“Based” is an adjective.

The word “based” dates back to around 2010. 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.

“Based” is a very common word in modern English.

“Based” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having a particular place as one's main location or headquarters.

'Based in' refers to location — it tells you where a person, company, or organisation has its main home or headquarters, as in 'a firm based in Berlin'. 'Based on' means derived from or built upon something, as in 'a film based on a true story'. The two are not interchangeable.

To be based somewhere means to have that place as your main location or headquarters — the point you operate from, even if you travel elsewhere. A consultant based in London may work all over the country, but London remains the fixed centre of their working life.

You might say, 'The company is based in New York but ships worldwide,' or 'She's a photographer based in the countryside.' In each case 'based' points to the single main location a person or organisation operates from, distinct from anywhere they merely visit or serve.

In the location sense, 'based' is neutral and works in both everyday and formal writing — business profiles, news reports, and casual conversation all use it freely. It carries no strong tone of its own, simply stating where someone or something is headquartered or mainly situated.