basement
gb/bˈeɪsmənt/ us/bˈeɪsmənt/
A2
English
~ 8600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Lowest floor, partly underground
The lowest floor of a house or building that is partly or fully under the ground.
Usage pattern:
in the basement of [a building]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'basement' and 'cellar'. In everyday modern English, especially in North America, 'basement' is the normal word for the lowest floor where people might live, work, or do laundry. 'Cellar' is more often used for a simple storage space, especially for wine or old things. Learners also sometimes say '*on the basement*'; the correct preposition is 'in the basement'.
Synonyms
cellar (Often suggests a rough, cool space mainly for storage, wine, or coal, and is less commonly used for living space than 'basement'.)
Antonyms
attic (Refers to a space at the very top of a house, opposite the basement at the very bottom.)
Collocations
finished basement
|unfinished basement
|basement apartment
|go down to the basement
|basement storage
|basement laundry
Themes
housing
|daily_life
|architecture
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We keep the washing machine in the basement.
- During the storm, everyone went down to the basement for safety.
- They turned their dark basement into a bright home office.
- The pipes burst in the basement and flooded the floor.
- The kids like to play video games in the finished basement.
Learner examples
- Our freezer is in the basement.
- I went down to the basement to get some boxes.
- They have a small bathroom in their basement.
- The basement is cold in the winter.
- We park the bikes in the basement of our building.
Noun
B2
relation
2
Lowest rank or position
The very last place in a list that shows best to worst, such as a sports table or company ranking.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is in the basement of [ranking/list]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is always literal and be confused when 'basement' is used about rankings, scores, or performance. In these cases it is a metaphor: there is no real room, it simply means 'at the very bottom'.
Synonyms
bottom (A very general word for the lowest position; 'basement' adds a metaphorical image and is often used in sports or business writing.)
Antonyms
top (Refers to the highest position in a ranking or list, opposite the 'basement' at the very bottom.)
Collocations
in the basement
|climb out of the basement
|stuck in the basement
|basement of the league
|basement of the rankings
Themes
sports
|business
|comparison
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After losing ten games in a row, the team dropped into the basement of the league.
- The company has climbed out of the basement of the industry rankings in just three years.
- Their test scores were stuck in the basement until they changed their study habits.
- The film started in the basement of the box-office charts but slowly built an audience.
- No one wants to finish the season in the basement of the division.
Learner examples
- Our football team is in the basement of the league.
- The store was in the basement of the sales rankings last year.
- The singer’s first album was in the basement of the charts.
- The school wants to move out of the basement in the test results.
- His score used to be in the basement, but now it is much higher.
Grammar
Dictionary form
basement
IPA
GB/bˈeɪsmənt/
US/bˈeɪsmənt/
Syllables & stress
base - ment (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (base)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: basement
- Plural: basements
Word family
Expressions
basement apartment
1/bˈeɪsmənt əpˈɑɹtmənt/
fixed phrase
Apartment in a basement
An apartment that is built in the basement of a house or other building.
Examples
- She rents a small basement apartment near the university.
- Basement apartments are often cheaper but can have less natural light.
finished basement
1/fˈɪnɪʃt bˈeɪsmənt/
fixed phrase
Basement ready for regular use
A basement that has walls, flooring, lights, and other things so people can live, work, or play there comfortably.
Examples
- The house has a finished basement with a guest room and a TV area.
- They spent the summer turning their unfinished basement into a finished basement.
in the basement
1/ˈɪn ðə bˈeɪsmənt/
idiom
In last place in rankings
To be at the very bottom of a list that shows best to worst, for example in sports, business, or test scores.
Examples
- Our local team is still in the basement, but they’re improving.
- The company was in the basement for customer satisfaction before the new CEO arrived.
living in your parents' basement
1/lˈɪvɪŋ ˈɪn jˈʊɹ pˈɛɹənts bˈeɪsmənt/
idiom
informal
Dependent adult living with parents
To be an adult who still lives in their parents’ basement, often used to suggest that the person is not independent or successful.
Examples
- He jokes that if his business fails, he’ll be living in his parents’ basement again.
- The stereotype of a gamer living in his parents’ basement is unfair but common.