mainly

adverb

main·​ly ˈmān-lē 

1

obsolete : in a forceful manner

2

: for the most part : chiefly

Synonyms of mainly

• mostly
• primarily
• chiefly
• largely
• predominantly
• principally
• basically
• generally

Examples of mainly in a Sentence

you mainly need to focus on improving your golf swing

Recent Examples on the Web

Drenching storms will start to ease considerably on Friday, with a lower-level flood threat lingering mainly in the western part of the state. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

First introduced in 1970, the IMAX film format initially found use mainly in documentaries, space missions, and short films. — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026

An employee working Wednesday morning told the Star-Telegram what mainly changed was rearranging the bakery display cases to make the front room more expansive and visible. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

In such situations, AI models may give advice or offer language that reflects mainly Western values while overlooking those that are most important in other cultures. — Alexandra Figueroa, The Conversation, 14 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mainly

• plainly
• sanely
• vainly
• humanely
• insanely
• profanely
• ungainly