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
On Monday, Vox is launching its membership program on Patreon, aiming to capture primarily podcast and video consumers.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 17 Nov. 2025
The 6-foot-9, 205-pound freshman forward with a 7-foot wingspan was held to 13 points (5-of-9 shooting) — six below his average — primarily by KU senior KJ Adams, who drew the defensive assignment on the 2025 consensus national player of the year.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 17 Nov. 2025
This type of deal primarily covers licensing, promotional, and special appearance duties rather than active wrestling.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Nolan is a filmmaker, actor, and theatre writer/director with 30 years of experience in BC’s film and TV industry, working primarily as an Assistant Director.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Max Tani, semafor.com, 17 Nov. 2025
The 6-foot-9, 205-pound freshman forward with a 7-foot wingspan was held to 13 points (5-of-9 shooting) — six below his average — primarily by KU senior KJ Adams, who drew the defensive assignment on the 2025 consensus national player of the year.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 17 Nov. 2025
This type of deal primarily covers licensing, promotional, and special appearance duties rather than active wrestling.
—Andrew Ravens, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025
Nolan is a filmmaker, actor, and theatre writer/director with 30 years of experience in BC’s film and TV industry, working primarily as an Assistant Director.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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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