meat-and-po·ta·toes
ˈmēt-ən(d)-pə-ˈtā-(ˌ)tōz 
1
: of fundamental importance : basic
also
: concerned with or emphasizing the basic aspects of something
2
: unpretentious, simple
a real meat-and-potatoes guy
3
: providing or preferring simple food (such as meat and potatoes)
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: the most interesting or fundamental part : meat sense 4
Examples of meat-and-potatoes in a Sentence
Adjective
a meat-and-potatoes knowledge of figure skating is all that a spectator really needs
Noun
an article that never gets into the meat and potatoes of a solution to the city's rising crime rate
Recent Examples on the Web
Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Miller fits the meat-and-potatoes vibe that the Rangers seem to be going for, and has shown a superstar ceiling in the past.
—Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 1 Feb. 2025
Jessica Fields, Essence, 28 Feb. 2025
So, as Academy membership becomes more international and somewhat younger, maybe the meat and potatoes of The Brutalist won’t take the top prize.
—Scott Phillips, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for meat-and-potatoes
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Adjective
Still, neither brings the kind of meat-and-potatoes hockey that Tanev does.
—Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Miller fits the meat-and-potatoes vibe that the Rangers seem to be going for, and has shown a superstar ceiling in the past.
—Corey Pronman, The Athletic, 1 Feb. 2025
Noun
Instead of a heavy plate of meat and potatoes, the chicken is placed atop mixed greens and dressed with roasted yam and red potatoes.
—Jessica Fields, Essence, 28 Feb. 2025
So, as Academy membership becomes more international and somewhat younger, maybe the meat and potatoes of The Brutalist won’t take the top prize.
—Scott Phillips, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for meat-and-potatoes
Cite this Entry
“Meat-and-potatoes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meat-and-potatoes. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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