How to Use basil in a Sentence

basil

noun
Definition of basilnext
  • If making up to four hours ahead, don’t add basil; cover and chill.
    — Sunset Magazine, 1 July 2022
  • Flavor the dough with orange zest or slivered basil to go best with berries.
    — Ben Mimscooking Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2022
  • Instead, use them to make this pesto, which also includes some basil in the mix.
    — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 11 June 2022
  • Greeley likes pairing them with fresh basil and tomatoes, red onion, and lemon juice.
    — Angela Haupt, TIME, 15 Oct. 2024
  • The new dessert is a white and dark chocolate mousse stones, olive oil basil cake, lemon foam and dark cocoa soil.
    — Jonmaesha Beltran, The Arizona Republic, 11 June 2022
  • Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, more heavy cream, black pepper, basil, and toasted bread crumbs.
    — Liv Dansky, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
  • The Ballin’ Out, loaded with meatballs and fresh basil.
    — Dana McMahan, The Courier-Journal, 5 July 2022
  • Garnish with basil leaves and several coarse grinds of black pepper.
    — Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 13 June 2022
  • Others still add orange, strawberry, apple, basil, thyme, and who knows what else.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 17 June 2022
  • Instructions Gently muddle the basil leaves at the bottom of a glass.
    — Heather Adams, Outside Online, 9 June 2022
  • That includes lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, strawberries and non-woody herbs such as basil, oregano, mint, and thyme.
    — Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 30 June 2022
  • And signature to the popcorn chicken style are those deeply jade crystalline shards of fried basil that garnish the bite-size pieces.
    — New York Times, 28 June 2022
  • Other variations have included a peach amaretto and lemon verbena, as well as basil and pistachio.
    — Genevieve Yam, Bon Appétit, 27 June 2022
  • Made with fresh cherry tomatoes and basil right out of the garden (or from your favorite farmer), the sauce requires only a quick whirl in a food processor or blender to come together.
    — Tribune News Service, cleveland, 7 June 2022
  • Dishes like chicken basil, drunken noodles and Thai red curry from the Pho-jita food truck days are permanent fixtures on the menu.
    — Megha McSwain, Chron, 27 June 2022
  • Watermelon basil aims to evoke the Hamptons, while a lavender peach sorbet has a connection to Dyer’s time in France.
    — Cassandra Pintro, Vogue, 17 June 2022
  • Besides honeysuckle, there are a range of other natural scents to choose from, including basil, geranium, lemon verbena, and lavender.
    — Lauren Gray, Popular Mechanics, 26 June 2022
  • Opening with rejuvenating notes of black pepper and basil, the exquisite scent gains power and endurance with musky and robust undertones of oakmoss and vetiver.
    — Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 12 June 2022
  • Remove the tomato sauce from the heat and stir in the basil.
    — Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2022
  • Snip off the top four to six inches of the basil stem, keeping the leaves on.
    — Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2024
  • The soup is topped with cilantro, bean sprouts, chopped green onions and Thai basil leaves.
    — Dallas News, 27 Jan. 2023
  • The spark of joy on the plate is a basil-brightened chimichurri.
    — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022
  • The basil is pureed with olive oil and ice cubes (to preserve the color).
    — Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2023
  • Place the four tomato halves and 4 basil leaves on the pizza.
    — Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 28 May 2024
  • Add half the basil pieces and reserve the rest to add to the finished salad.
    — Tribune News Service, cleveland, 8 Aug. 2022
  • Fill with crushed ice and garnish with a slapped basil leaf.
    — The Courier-Journal, 24 Jan. 2023
  • Lemon Basil Room Spray Freshen up rooms with the clean scent of lemon and basil.
    — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2023
  • The bright basil green and the chalky matte finish set the direction for the rest of the room.
    — Paige Porter Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Nov. 2022
  • Taste for seasoning, add the basil leaves, and remove from the heat.
    — Jennifer McClellan, USA TODAY, 22 Dec. 2022
  • On the side: sliced up banana flowers, basil, mint and lime to garnish the plate.
    — Joe Nguyen, The Denver Post, 23 Sep. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'basil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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