the gist

noun

: the general or basic meaning of something said or written : the main points

—usually + of

The gist of her argument was that the law was unfair.

I didn't read the whole article, but I got the gist of it.

Examples of the gist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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This nearly flies under the radar and few catch onto the gist that these are jobs that are intended to gradually and inevitably do away with the need for human programmers. —

Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 There essentially wasn’t time to go further back and explore the origin of Rio and Agatha’s relationship, but the gist of it is that Agatha killed a lot of people and kept attracting her attention. —

Paul Tassi, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024 Here, presented with intercutting flashbacks, the gist of his story doesn’t lose its power, but the words somehow do. —

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 13 Sep. 2024 Step right this way for an in-depth explainer on how to clean and care for it, but here’s the gist: At least once a month, pull out a clean microfiber cloth, a food-grade mineral oil, and a food-safe board sealant that combines oil with a protective beeswax. —

Alaina Chou, Bon Appétit, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for the gist