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
These drugs, which mimic a natural gut hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), are primarily used for type 2 diabetes and weight management.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
It is funded primarily through government grants and modest philanthropic support.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
With TikTok globalizing the category, Korean skincare brands once found primarily at specialty retailers like Soko Glam and YesStyle have become mainstays at North American beauty giants such as Ulta and Sephora.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2025
The surge in cases appears to be driven primarily by a new strain of the virus known as subclade K of influenza A(H3N2), which emerged over the summer in Australia.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
It is funded primarily through government grants and modest philanthropic support.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2025
With TikTok globalizing the category, Korean skincare brands once found primarily at specialty retailers like Soko Glam and YesStyle have become mainstays at North American beauty giants such as Ulta and Sephora.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2025
The surge in cases appears to be driven primarily by a new strain of the virus known as subclade K of influenza A(H3N2), which emerged over the summer in Australia.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 Dec. 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 2 Jan. 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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