* To summarize a longer piece of information: "I didn't have time to read the whole article, but I got the gist from the headline."
* To explain a general idea: "The gist of the meeting was that we need to work together more efficiently."
* To highlight the main point: "The gist of the story is that the hero has to overcome many challenges."
Here are some examples in full sentences:
* "Can you give me the gist of what happened at the meeting?"
* "I didn't understand all the technical details, but I got the gist of the project."
* "He explained the gist of the problem, but I still didn't understand the solution."
* "I was tired, so I just read the gist of the article before going to bed."