1
as in rudimentary
belonging to or characteristic of an early level of skill or development
primitive wooden tools were used before the Iron Age
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
a primitive period in church history when members still lived in communes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
her taste in art was still primitive, but she knew schlock when she saw it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barbarian
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primitive
EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
By identifying and then chaining together a series of motion primitives, the Amazon researchers have been able to achieve stowing success rates (in the lab) of better than 90 percent.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2023
Mike Giuliano, Howard County Times, 23 June 2017
A lot of the campgrounds are primitive, and lack some common amenities - including water.
—Jamie Hale, OregonLive.com, 6 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Adjective
Meanwhile, humans have regressed into being primitives that the apes hunt for sport, or feed out of pity from beside their campfire.
—EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
By identifying and then chaining together a series of motion primitives, the Amazon researchers have been able to achieve stowing success rates (in the lab) of better than 90 percent.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2023
Noun
Constructed in front of the stone ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park in Ellicott City, that caveman-evocative set provides a suitably primitive stomping ground for the monstrous Caliban.
—Mike Giuliano, Howard County Times, 23 June 2017
A lot of the campgrounds are primitive, and lack some common amenities - including water.
—Jamie Hale, OregonLive.com, 6 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primitive
Adjective
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Unlike the predictable drawers that pull out, this style slides out to the side, so pulling out paper clips feels more like an event than a rudimentary task.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
30 June 2025
-
Chávez even lost in 2021 to Anderson Silva, the former UFC champion and rudimentary boxer who lost a one-sided ring decision to Paul one year later.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Scientists can deduce historic oxygen levels by analyzing ancient rocks (like Banded Iron Formations) because their chemical composition depend on the amount of oxygen available when they were formed.—
David Bressan,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
The theory of natural selection persevered, and the lengthy record of our ancient roots began to fill out.—
Laura Poppick,
Rolling Stone,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Modern takes on the tankini and boy short offer nostalgia without being too naive and are also seen from Candice Swaenpoel’s Topic of C line or Hunza G’s colorful styles.—
Emily Mercer,
Footwear News,
27 June 2025
-
Yet such arguments are either geopolitically naive or disingenuous.—
Charles Kupchan,
Foreign Affairs,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Once, some 2,000 years ago, so many such personages (then known as barbarians) came to Paris simultaneously that the city was destroyed.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
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This new Leo is poised to save America’s democracy from American barbarians within, seeking to destroy centuries of democratic compromise toward a more perfect union.—
Emmett Coyne,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Humans, therefore, are assumed to be inherently tribal because of our prehistoric ancestors.—
Dr. Rami Kaminski,
Time,
18 June 2025
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Set five years after Jurassic World: Dominion, the movie sees an expedition brave isolated equatorial regions to extract DNA from three massive prehistoric creatures for a groundbreaking medical breakthrough.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
The simplest ideas in mathematics can also be the most perplexing.—
Leila Sloman,
Wired News,
29 June 2025
-
Start your day like a pro with simple morning cleaning habits that keep your home feeling fresh, organized, and under control.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
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Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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He was also helped by film composer John Williams’ memorable two-note motif in the Jaws soundtrack that fed into primal fears about unseen predators being afoot and approaching.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2025
-
Two simple notes – E and F – have become synonymous with tension, fear and sharks, representing the primal dread of being stalked by a predator.—
Jared Bahir Browsh,
The Conversation,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primitive. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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