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
Pete is primarily made of milk chocolate, with a white chocolate stomach and ears.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026
Israel also pressed on with near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying that Hezbollah has been trying to rebuild its positions there, killing nearly 400 people while the ceasefire was in place.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
The funds are primarily used to improve pay for teachers and staff, as well as support arts and sports programs.
—Steve Patterson, Florida Times-Union, 4 Mar. 2026
And while peace and quiet are definitely on the menu, so is a delicious roundup of fare sourced primarily from Darwin's sister property, the Ishawooa Mesa Ranch.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2026
Israel also pressed on with near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying that Hezbollah has been trying to rebuild its positions there, killing nearly 400 people while the ceasefire was in place.
—Arkansas Online, 5 Mar. 2026
The funds are primarily used to improve pay for teachers and staff, as well as support arts and sports programs.
—Steve Patterson, Florida Times-Union, 4 Mar. 2026
And while peace and quiet are definitely on the menu, so is a delicious roundup of fare sourced primarily from Darwin's sister property, the Ishawooa Mesa Ranch.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 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 9 Mar. 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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