1
as in originally
in the beginning
the university was primarily an agricultural college when it was founded over two centuries ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mainly
for the most part
ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primarily
The mother and father have four young children, and the story unfolds primarily through the youngest of the four, whose innocence contrasts the growing tensions within the household.
—
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
That was primarily in lodgepole pine.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
The district is funded primarily through property assessments and fees, according to its website.
—Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Comedies in general, and romantic comedies specifically, have been released primarily on streaming platforms in recent years.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
That was primarily in lodgepole pine.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
The district is funded primarily through property assessments and fees, according to its website.
—Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Comedies in general, and romantic comedies specifically, have been released primarily on streaming platforms in recent years.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primarily
Adverb
-
The phrase was originally associated with Sutskever, who used it to caution his colleagues about the risks of artificial general intelligence—the threshold at which machines match human cognitive capacities.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The Yankees tacked on another run in the third inning against right-hander Chris Paddack, who was originally scheduled to start for the Marlins.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Golden State’s run came mainly from expansion draft selections as players like Burton, Thornton and Zandalasini all shined in bigger roles.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The population is increasing, mainly because they were protected (in) 1994.—
Paris Barraza,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
While they are considered apex predators, grizzlies are mostly opportunistic in their eating habits than wolves, Cummings said.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The show mostly avoids the politics that swirl around the design business, especially these days when critics are obsessed with the environmental evils of fast fashion and the shortcomings of an industry known to exploit labor around the globe.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Control over the strait is now the regime’s greatest source of leverage, and the war’s outcome will depend chiefly on whether Iran still holds sway over it, and thus global energy markets.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Those who read chiefly for pleasure are more comfortable letting details blur.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
That’s far longer than Camden Management Partners’ schedule for renovating them into a mix of predominantly apartments with some first-floor commercial space.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In late March, a missile exploded over the predominantly Christian Keserwan region north of Beirut, with debris falling on different areas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Shailin’s relatives in Iran—largely deprived of a voice themselves—told her to publicize their plight.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
These reforms, targeted mainly at commercial and industrial buildings in dense downtowns, largely missed the looming crisis in suburban residential areas that were slowly building themselves into a different kind of tinderbox that burned from the outside in.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The story is principally set early in 1965, on the stark desert island of Qeshm, in the Strait of Hormuz.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
But the job of mayor of a big city like Chicago is principally a management task.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primarily. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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