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
The community Fogo Island Inn sits on Joe Batt’s Arm, one of 11 communities on the island that are powered primarily by a single economic engine—its fishery.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
The sharp rise owes to a cocoa shortage caused primarily by adverse weather and crop disease in West Africa, which accounts for about 70% of the world’s cocoa.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The 1999 film, shot primarily in Seattle, starred Julia Stiles as the fiercely independent Kat Stratford, Larisa Oleynik as her sister, Bianca, and Heath Ledger as the enigmatic Patrick Verona.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
As a 10-day moon-circling mission, Artemis II primarily serves as a test flight, with the four-person crew testing systems and hardware ahead of a future landing.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
The sharp rise owes to a cocoa shortage caused primarily by adverse weather and crop disease in West Africa, which accounts for about 70% of the world’s cocoa.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
The 1999 film, shot primarily in Seattle, starred Julia Stiles as the fiercely independent Kat Stratford, Larisa Oleynik as her sister, Bianca, and Heath Ledger as the enigmatic Patrick Verona.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
As a 10-day moon-circling mission, Artemis II primarily serves as a test flight, with the four-person crew testing systems and hardware ahead of a future landing.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 1 Apr. 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 2 Apr. 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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