elementary

[el-uh-men-tuh-ree, -tree] / ˌɛl əˈmɛn tə ri, -tri /

ADJECTIVE

simple, basic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

elemental fundamental rudimentary straightforward underlying

WEAK

ABCs abecedarian basal beginning child's play clear duck soup easy essential facile foundational initial introductory meat and potatoes original plain prefatory preliminary primary primitive primo simplest simplex simplified substratal uncomplex uncomplicated

Antonyms

STRONGEST

additional advanced extra secondary

WEAK

abstruse complex complicated compound difficult hard intricate involved

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.

The Iran World Cup team arrived in Tijuana wearing lapel pins on their jackets acknowledging victims of a Feb. 28 missile strike on an elementary school.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

In elementary school, I was rambunctious and outgoing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

By fall 2025, 1 of 12 entering students was placed into remedial math to learn material taught in elementary and middle school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026

The risk of fire or flash fire spread across many city blocks, with dozens of homes, an elementary school and businesses in a potential blast damage zone.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

In elementary school, we sat by grade, next to whoever our friends were.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée

Vocabulary lists containing elementary

Animal Farm

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Essential English Vocabulary, List 1

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'Tis A Gift To Be Simple: Words For National Simplicity Day

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