basest

ADJECTIVE

vulgar, low

Synonyms

STRONGEST

paltry

STRONG

common corrupt depraved foul grovelling humble mean menial offensive plebeian poor shoddy

WEAK

abject abominable cheap coarse contemptible despicable disgraceful dishonorable disreputable ignoble immoral indelicate loathsome lowly pitiful scandalous servile shameful sleazy sordid sorry squalid trashy ugly unworthy vile worthless wretched

Antonyms

STRONG

aristocratic clean good high honest honorable just kind moral nice noble pleasing pure rich superior uncorrupt upright wealthy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

basest

But the effect on most of its victims was to bring out their basest instincts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026

While it was daring in its hard-R riskiness and played on our basest fears, it didn’t reinvent the wheel, or even try to.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025

The actor and playwright Eric Bogosian blazed a career on Off Broadway stages in the 1980s and ’90s by mucking around in mankind’s basest instincts.

From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2023

They prefer stuff like "Warrior Poet Society," because it flatters their basest instincts.

From Salon ● Apr. 29, 2022

It WAS basest betrayal to think of anything but Theresa, but they had no choice.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen