basically never

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "basically never" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize that something almost never happens, often in informal contexts. Example: "I basically never go out on weekdays because I prefer to stay home and relax."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"But I basically never grew.

Independent

"They basically never make it".

The New Yorker

"That's basically never happened before," he said.

The New York Times - Science

We basically never get a day off.

The Guardian

"I've basically never chilled," she said.

The New York Times

"Danny's basically never had any form of guidance.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

"Before that, I had basically never been bitten by a bee".

The New York Times - Sports

They return to the couch, and they basically never move again.

The New York Times

"I basically never play three weeks in a row," he said.

Independent

"He'd only get home for Christmas, and we'd basically never see him till summertime".

The New York Times - Sports

Are we to believe that false convictions basically never occur in drug cases, robberies or frauds?

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "basically never" to emphasize that something almost never happens. While common, consider more formal alternatives like "virtually never" in academic or professional writing.

Common error

Avoid using "basically never" excessively in your writing. While it's acceptable, relying on it too much can make your writing sound less precise. Vary your phrasing to maintain clarity and engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "basically never" functions as an adverbial modifier, intensifying the negation. It emphasizes the near absence of an event or action. As Ludwig AI shows, it appears in various contexts to highlight infrequency.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

12%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "basically never" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something almost never happens. As Ludwig AI highlights, it is most frequently found in News & Media contexts but can be useful in other communication styles as well. While acceptable in many situations, consider more formal alternatives like "virtually never" in academic or professional writing. Overuse of "basically never", or any filler word, should be avoided to maintain clarity. Overall, "basically never" is a useful phrase for adding emphasis to a negative statement, but should be used judiciously depending on your audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost never

Replaces 'basically' with 'almost', indicating a slightly less informal tone and a very small possibility of occurrence.

virtually never

Uses 'virtually' to convey a sense of near impossibility, slightly more formal than "basically never".

practically never

Emphasizes the lack of practical possibility, similar in formality to "basically never".

hardly ever

Indicates a low frequency, less emphatic than "basically never".

scarcely ever

Suggests that something happens very infrequently, slightly more formal.

rarely ever

Highlights the rarity of an event, maintaining a similar level of informality.

almost no

Shifts the focus to quantity, implying a near absence of something.

infrequently

A more formal way to express that something does not happen often.

seldom

A classic and slightly formal way of saying 'not often'.

on rare occasions

Highlights the exceptional nature of the event, adding a descriptive element.

FAQs

What does "basically never" mean?

The phrase "basically never" means that something almost never happens. It suggests a very low frequency of occurrence.

Is it okay to use "basically never" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "basically never" is generally considered informal. For formal writing, alternatives like "virtually never" or "hardly ever" might be more appropriate.

What are some alternatives to "basically never"?

You can use alternatives such as "almost never", "practically never", or "rarely ever", depending on the context.

How can I use "basically never" in a sentence?

You can use "basically never" to emphasize the infrequency of an event or action. For example, "I basically never go out on weekdays."