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
Misunderstanding What Buyers Actually Value Many founders assume that buyers focus primarily on size.
—Patrick Galleher, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Why Grass Clippings Work as a Mulch Substitute Mulch is primarily used to prevent weeds and help retain soil moisture, both of which grass clippings can also do.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 May 2026
While the system has seen an increase in Martin County patients, the wait times primarily stem from shortages of inpatient and behavioral health beds, Wudkwych said.
—Sarah Jane Tribble, NPR, 22 May 2026
The co-production between Japan and France is Hamaguchi’s first film set primarily outside Japan, and his first in the French language.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Patrick Galleher, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Why Grass Clippings Work as a Mulch Substitute Mulch is primarily used to prevent weeds and help retain soil moisture, both of which grass clippings can also do.
—Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 22 May 2026
While the system has seen an increase in Martin County patients, the wait times primarily stem from shortages of inpatient and behavioral health beds, Wudkwych said.
—Sarah Jane Tribble, NPR, 22 May 2026
The co-production between Japan and France is Hamaguchi’s first film set primarily outside Japan, and his first in the French language.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
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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