gist

[jist] / dʒɪst /

NOUN

meaning, essence

Synonyms

STRONGEST

summary tenor upshot

STRONG

basis bearing burden core drift force heart idea import kernel keynote marrow matter meat pith point quintessence score sense short significance soul spirit stuff subject substance theme thrust topic

WEAK

bottom line name of the game nature of the beast nitty gritty nuts and bolts punch line

Antonyms

STRONG

exterior exteriority insignificance meaninglessness surface

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.

That point is also the gist of the bipartisan letter, signed by 33 Republicans and five Democrats.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

There's still time to catch up was his gist.

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2025

This pretty much captures the gist of the show’s debut season.

From Salon • Jun. 23, 2025

The gist was: We can run more tests if you want, but everything seems fine.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2025

“Now that you’ve gotten the gist of things, you can go ahead and choose your partners.”

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy