mainly

adverb

main·​ly ˈmān-lē 

1

obsolete : in a forceful manner

2

: for the most part : chiefly

Synonyms

• altogether
• basically
• by and large
• chiefly
• generally
• largely
• mostly
• overall
• predominantly
• primarily
• principally
• substantially

Examples of mainly in a Sentence

you mainly need to focus on improving your golf swing

Recent Examples on the Web

As Bailey continued to juggle the business and work full-time in the corporate world, Gaffney led a team of mainly volunteer friends and family and culinary interns from Cincinnati Job Corps. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 12 June 2024

His recent clemency petition focused mainly on Hosier's personal life. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 11 June 2024

But that doesn’t come with a clear answer, mainly because the criteria for making Team USA has long been subjective and sometimes relentlessly opaque. —Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 11 June 2024

While other major airports, such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, are hubs for connections, LAX is used mainly for nonstop flights. —Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1