as in primary
coming before all others in importance
this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in power
muscular strength
all their might and main could not budge the stalled car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in continent
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division
islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in core
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
the main of the tree is still healthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of main
Tanya Benedicto Klich, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
After the defeat to Gauff, Sabalenka, then 24, sat on the ground next to her two main coaches, Jason Stacy and Anton Dubrov, and wept.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
Lead lines were commonly used up until the mid-1980s as the means through which water was transported to homes and businesses from the municipal mains below the street.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
Erne + Ace timed its debut with National Pickleball Day on August 8, with ongoing campaigns leading up to the US Open’s main kickoff on August 24.
—Tanya Benedicto Klich, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
After the defeat to Gauff, Sabalenka, then 24, sat on the ground next to her two main coaches, Jason Stacy and Anton Dubrov, and wept.
—Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Noun
Filled with herbed ricotta and topped with marinara, these delicious little bundles make a great main alongside a green salad.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
Lead lines were commonly used up until the mid-1980s as the means through which water was transported to homes and businesses from the municipal mains below the street.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
Timmons was awarded sole custody and primary placement of the children in February 2024.—
Drake Bentley,
jsonline.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Here’s what to know about voting early in Charlotte’s 2025 primary election: When does early voting end for 2025 Charlotte primary?—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Hall 6 puts yachts between 65 and 115 feet in the spotlight with a solid selection of superyachts, multihulls in both sail and power, and a special area for superboats and tenders to complement the parent yachts.—
Kathleen Turner,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Join us in San Francisco to see hosts Katie Drummond, Michael Calore, and Lauren Goode shed light on the people, power, and influence of Silicon Valley.—
WIRED Staff,
Wired News,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Sharks are caught, processed, and traded across continents, with millions of pounds of meat and fins moving through international markets every year.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
-
So a few years later, every country, every continent started looking at this lithium ion battery manufacturing production.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Engaging agencies that provide measurable outcomes enables business owners to concentrate on their core businesses as media relations are taken care of by professionals.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
-
Its core group of partners includes those who hail from Michigan, Walker said.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Marilyn Miller Language Academy is an elementary school with 526 students and a predominant Hispanic population of 69%, according to state data from the 2023-24 school year, the latest available.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Aug. 2025
-
May or May Not Support Healthy Weight The predominant type of saturated fat in coconut oil is medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Those with the condition are particularly vulnerable to bleeds in their joints, muscles and internal organs, causing pain, swelling and joint damage.—
Beth Warren,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Long before the snow fell, the very memory of that place could prime their bodies for hardship, raising metabolism, warming the blood, preparing muscles to endure.—
William A. Haseltine,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As Hurricane Erin crept toward the U.S. mainland on Wednesday, Aug. 20, a North Carolina man captured the storm's powerful waves battering the state's coastline.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
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The nearly universal use of electronic payments has facilitated use of the e-CNY in the Chinese mainland, with some cities using it to pay wages of civil servants.—
Elaine Kurtenbach,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
After the discovery of Woolf's body, officers created a sketch of him, which was later used to generate an AI image resembling the drawing, Detective Pedro Carranco with the Pima County Sheriff's Department homicide unit said at a media briefing.—
Wren Smetana,
AZCentral.com,
26 Aug. 2025
-
The temperature-balancing makeup is designed to keep the body at 37.5° C—which scientists note as the ideal body temperature—by absorbing excess heat to cool you down and then release it to keep you comfortably warm.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
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