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

To hear cast members talk of it, it’s mainly used as a session to make the host comfortable and get each other to laugh. —Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 6 May 2026

After focusing mainly on beauty, biotech company Debut is partnering with Oterra, a supplier of natural colors for the food and beverage industry, to develop an alternative to Red Dye 40. —Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 6 May 2026

The other Boys’ mission in this episode mainly serves to set up a big climax during Homelander’s sermon next week. —Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 6 May 2026

Their new simulation method models notional dark matter interactions with particles called baryons—that is, mainly protons and neutrons—in and around a Milky Way–scale galaxy. —Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 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