primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē 
also prə-,
chiefly British ˈprī-mə-rə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
has now become primarily a residential town—
S. P. B. Mais
S. P. B. Mais2
: in the first place : originally
Examples of primarily in a Sentence
the university was primarily an agricultural college when it was founded over two centuries ago
ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes
Recent Examples on the Web
One can, likewise, reasonably second-guess the seemingly reactive approach in which the club seemed primarily focused on drafting centre depth, which is rather conveniently their biggest need at the NHL level.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 29 June 2025
The scans are originating primarily from the United States, but also span Germany, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, and other countries.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Like so many other airplane procedures, dimming the cabin lights during takeoff and landing is primarily done for safety reasons, which a pilot and a flight attendant outline below.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2025
La Paz’s comparatively modest number of visitors is, in part, a question of access: La Paz’s airport almost exclusively serves domestic destinations, with direct flights primarily from Mexico City and Guadalajara.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 June 2025
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Thomas Drance, New York Times, 29 June 2025
The scans are originating primarily from the United States, but also span Germany, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, and other countries.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Like so many other airplane procedures, dimming the cabin lights during takeoff and landing is primarily done for safety reasons, which a pilot and a flight attendant outline below.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2025
La Paz’s comparatively modest number of visitors is, in part, a question of access: La Paz’s airport almost exclusively serves domestic destinations, with direct flights primarily from Mexico City and Guadalajara.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
2
: in the first place : originally
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