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
Samsung is one of many tech companies that have tried to make virtual and augmented reality headsets as pervasive as smartphones and laptops, although such devices are still a niche primarily appealing to early adopters, tech enthusiasts and gamers.
—Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Following a soft-opening in December 2015, the Gobbler Theater started booking national acts the following spring, primarily hosting country artists like LeAnn Rimes, Eli Young Band, Maddie & Tae and Ronnie Milsap.
—Piet Levy, jsonline.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Being that Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, primarily performs in Spanish, his selection as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show headliner has been met with criticism.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
All of Tarrant County, in fact, relies primarily on surface water, but some nearby cities, like Boyd, in Wise County, use groundwater from the Trinity Aquifer, which lies beneath much of this region.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Following a soft-opening in December 2015, the Gobbler Theater started booking national acts the following spring, primarily hosting country artists like LeAnn Rimes, Eli Young Band, Maddie & Tae and Ronnie Milsap.
—Piet Levy, jsonline.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Being that Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, primarily performs in Spanish, his selection as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show headliner has been met with criticism.
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
All of Tarrant County, in fact, relies primarily on surface water, but some nearby cities, like Boyd, in Wise County, use groundwater from the Trinity Aquifer, which lies beneath much of this region.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 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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