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
While plants primarily produce them to ward off predators, these potent substances are also found in certain fungi and even some species of frogs.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
These power lines are primarily to supply huge amounts of electricity to data centers powering artificial intelligence technologies and oil-and-gas companies electrifying their operations.
—Claire Hao, Houston Chronicle, 7 Jan. 2026
While the football world was full of speculation, wondering whether his disappearance into a red-light therapy airstream spelled the end of his career, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s summer was filled primarily with uncertainty.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026
Working with a credit counselor on a debt management plan is another route worth considering, and can be particularly useful if your debt is primarily tied to high-rate credit cards.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
These power lines are primarily to supply huge amounts of electricity to data centers powering artificial intelligence technologies and oil-and-gas companies electrifying their operations.
—Claire Hao, Houston Chronicle, 7 Jan. 2026
While the football world was full of speculation, wondering whether his disappearance into a red-light therapy airstream spelled the end of his career, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford’s summer was filled primarily with uncertainty.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 7 Jan. 2026
Working with a credit counselor on a debt management plan is another route worth considering, and can be particularly useful if your debt is primarily tied to high-rate credit cards.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 7 Jan. 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 11 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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