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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barbarian
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primitive
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
In another story, set in the far future, a scientist who had disappeared decades earlier reappears in an emergency shuttle, claiming to have been saved by a technologically primitive alien race.
—
Alexandra Oliva,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Quanta Magazine,
1 Aug. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Adjective
But the primitive areas of our brains still have connections from when our ancestors relied on smell to survive.
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Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
In another story, set in the far future, a scientist who had disappeared decades earlier reappears in an emergency shuttle, claiming to have been saved by a technologically primitive alien race.
—
Alexandra Oliva,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Noun
It can be used to achieve a lot of other cryptographic primitives.
—
Quanta Magazine,
1 Aug. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primitive
Adjective
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Many are rudimentary and low-stakes, but the meaningful ones are still buried within the total volume.
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But before long, professors complained that incoming freshmen lacked even rudimentary math skills.
Adjective
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Learn about Sarasota’s ancient past at Phillippi Estate Park or look for the resident deer at Rothenbach Park.
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The pallium, a woolen collar embroidered with six crosses, is an ancient symbol of authority and obligation.
Adjective
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In her own naive way, Miss Manners notices that your concern about gift cards requires a remarkable number of dollar signs to express.
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And radical hope — not naive optimism, but hope that lives in imagination.
Noun
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The world drew heavily from the paintings of fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta, who depicted scenes of barbarians and beasts in conflict, of pulp fiction heroes, femme fatales, and fierce warrior women.
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To an outsider, the scene may spark a certain Schadenfreude, like an army of tiny barbarians sacking Rome.
Adjective
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The prices, the vast distances fans have to cover, the hijacking of the tournament by malign political forces, the environmental damage that all of this travel is causing… there is plenty to take the edge off the primal joy that the football has given us.
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One of our primal needs as human beings is to feel that love and positive energy, to be loved.
Adjective
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As for the volunteers, the goal is simple—help someone stay safe before the heat turns into an emergency.
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Evidence for at-home tools is thinner than for professional manual drainage, but the simplest options can offer mild circulation and surface-lymph support at a low price.
Noun
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Ditto Hugh Jackman’s unerring performance — perhaps his finest dramatic work yet — as a savage, unfeeling thug and unrepentant murderer and thief.
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This savage, amoral and unfeeling Robin Hood has been written to invert everything modern fans like about him.
Adjective
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The museum uses Akrotiri as a point of reference for the life and culture of prehistoric Thira.
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The fraught subject of the proper disposition of those human remains has taken on a new sensitivity — both for the prehistoric people’s Native American successors in Florida, and for the archaeologists and developers encountering them.
Cite this Entry
“Primitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primitive. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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