mainly

adverb

main·​ly ˈmān-lē 

1

obsolete : in a forceful manner

2

: for the most part : chiefly

Synonyms of mainly

• mostly
• primarily
• chiefly
• largely
• predominantly
• principally
• basically
• generally

Examples of mainly in a Sentence

you mainly need to focus on improving your golf swing

Recent Examples on the Web

Palmer came into the match having played just 232 Premier League minutes this season, mainly due to a groin problem. —Simon Johnson, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025

Theobromine comes mainly from cocoa products and, to a lesser extent, coffee, so participants with higher levels in their blood likely consumed more cocoa-containing foods or drinks, though the research was observational and didn’t track what participants ate. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025

Aerogels are better than ceramics at being a heat insulator because they are composed mainly of air. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 13 Dec. 2025

Some areas, mainly to the south and east, will see fog Saturday morning. —Michael Autovino, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mainly

• plainly
• sanely
• vainly
• humanely
• insanely
• profanely
• ungainly