as in basic
of or relating to the simplest facts or theories of a subject
a meat-and-potatoes knowledge of figure skating is all that a spectator really needs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in root
the central part or aspect of something under consideration
an article that never gets into the meat and potatoes of a solution to the city's rising crime rate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of meat-and-potatoes
Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Amaya Battle is a meat-and-potatoes basketball player.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 17 Feb. 2026
Josh Miller, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
That’s meat and potatoes y’all.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for meat-and-potatoes
Adjective
Wahlberg was a 20-something bad boy who took a more meat-and-potatoes (or Peter Berg and Peter Berg) route to popular success.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
Amaya Battle is a meat-and-potatoes basketball player.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 17 Feb. 2026
Plural noun
Save as a collection on MyRecipes To some, the definition of a comforting dinner is meat and potatoes.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2025
That’s meat and potatoes y’all.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for meat-and-potatoes
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meat-and-potatoes
Adjective
-
This simple decision loop repeats continuously, allowing the system to operate autonomously using only basic obstacle detection and directional comparison.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
17 May 2026
-
Michael Negrón, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and former White House economic adviser under President Joe Biden, says inflation tends to disproportionately hit the Latino community because a large share of their income goes toward basic necessities.—
Maria Santana,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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Learn about the hobby and this Chicago Park District program’s STEM offerings for elementary students.—
Jennifer Day,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
Last month, an Orange County school district became the first to implement a ban on e-bikes for elementary and middle schoolers.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Prepaid carriers already offer great introductory rates, but adding a double-digit discount makes this an unbeatable trial window for anyone testing out a new network.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
19 May 2026
-
Enjoy a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150.—
Andreina Rodriguez,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Unlike the predictable drawers that pull out, this style slides out to the side, so pulling out paper clips feels more like an event than a rudimentary task.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
18 May 2026
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If the system has any form of interior life, even a rudimentary one, training it out of spiritual behavior to protect a balance sheet is not a neutral product decision.—
Jason Snyder,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
For customers and investors this might mean a lot more opportunities to build generation-defining companies without facing fundamental limits to scaling.—
Martin Casado,
Fortune,
20 May 2026
-
Actions have consequences; breaking laws deserves punishment, and undermining elections is a fundamental threat to a democratic society.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Meat-and-potatoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meat-and-potatoes. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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