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

But there are still some situations to monitor, mainly with Southern California native Brady Edmunds, who has been committed to Ohio State since December 2024. —Grace Raynor, New York Times, 21 May 2026

Mohammed added that the mosque has practiced active shooter drills before, but mainly in the case of a single gunman, not two. —Emma Bowman, NPR, 20 May 2026

Experts have linked excessive screen time to academic, physical and emotional harm, with the research focusing mainly on screen time outside of schoolwork, such as gaming and scrolling through videos and social media. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026

The country is going through its worst economic and energy crisis in several decades, mainly the result of years of mismanagement, failed economic policies and corruption. —Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mainly

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