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

Overall vehicle sales in sub-Saharan Africa are expected to grow at a slower rate than previously forecast, mainly due to rising fuel costs triggered by the Iran war, but EV purchases on the continent should remain robust, according to a new report. — Jenny Vaughan, semafor.com, 1 July 2026

The vaccine is no longer given routinely to the public and is mainly used for select military, laboratory and emergency-response needs. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026

This mainly affected high-frequency radio users across parts of North America who may have experienced temporary signal degradation or brief communication outages while the flare was at its strongest. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 1 July 2026

China reported its factory activity slightly picked up pace in June, mainly due to exports and demand generated by expanding use of AI. — ABC News, 30 June 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