as in chiefly
for the most part
the tourists were principally concerned with the quantity of the food, and only secondarily with the quality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of principally
The plan envisions a reconstructed strip supported principally by regional players that could stabilize the region and provide in the short term humanitarian relief and in the long term economic opportunities to Gazans.
—
Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
The relationships that Mark forms in the course of his career are similarly simplified—principally, his hearty bromance with Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), who is first his trainer and then, entering the circuit himself, a competitor.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
However, surging production, led principally by Chinese mining companies, had cratered the price to a nine-year low, leading the DRC to impose the restrictions and in turn drawing ire from producers.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
By drawing his understanding of the king principally from Harvey’s travelogue, and likely a string of others produced in the English-speaking world, Welles ended up making his career promoting what was merely another caricature of an actual person, a historical figure, and an important one at that.
—Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The clip principally focuses on Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 15 Sep. 2025
Jhonatan’s story echoes that of many Colombian fighters, driven by a sense of duty, but shaped principally by economic insecurity that makes enlisting abroad a more viable and lucrative option.
—Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
While the gang has principally focused on human trafficking and other crimes targeting migrants, it has also been linked to extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and drug smuggling, according to the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Asher Kaufman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2025
The relationships that Mark forms in the course of his career are similarly simplified—principally, his hearty bromance with Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), who is first his trainer and then, entering the circuit himself, a competitor.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2025
However, surging production, led principally by Chinese mining companies, had cratered the price to a nine-year low, leading the DRC to impose the restrictions and in turn drawing ire from producers.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 23 Sep. 2025
By drawing his understanding of the king principally from Harvey’s travelogue, and likely a string of others produced in the English-speaking world, Welles ended up making his career promoting what was merely another caricature of an actual person, a historical figure, and an important one at that.
—Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
The clip principally focuses on Jeremy Allen White as Springsteen and Jeremy Strong as Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 15 Sep. 2025
Jhonatan’s story echoes that of many Colombian fighters, driven by a sense of duty, but shaped principally by economic insecurity that makes enlisting abroad a more viable and lucrative option.
—Rebecca Johns, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2025
While the gang has principally focused on human trafficking and other crimes targeting migrants, it has also been linked to extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and drug smuggling, according to the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principally
Adverb
-
Today’s cinephiles remember Warren Beatty, age 88, chiefly for the suspense of Bonnie & Clyde (1967) but forget his intellectually demanding drama Reds (1981).—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Max & Helen’s is chiefly inspired by Maine’s Palace Diner, which is widely noted for its elevation of comfort-food staples.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
Once loud and bubbly, Thorley, 51, now mainly communicates by typing on an iPad, along with sign language.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
-
This is because the fire will burn off mainly vapors, not the alcohol itself.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
There are also patchy or partial fall colors in the western part of the country, primarily in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Historically, people have primarily been consumers of media, not creators.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
The Uncut Gems star and wife Jackie tied the knot back in 2003, and have been tight-knit ever since, keeping their personal life mostly private while turning many of their film projects into family affairs.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In October 2011, during the peak of Glee, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk debuted a horror series that eventually broke ground as the first anthology to reinvent itself each season with a brand-new story, setting, and characters played by (mostly) familiar faces.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
Coming off his strong game at Washington, this was another step forward for Sayin, who had largely been asked to keep the ball short in his first month as starter.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Today, there are active farm-to-school programs in all fifty states; almost half of these started up in the past few years, owing largely to the influx of Biden-era funding.—
Jessica Winter,
New Yorker,
4 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
And for Blacks, in a city that was predominantly Black, to be able to see yourself on television on a regular basis meant a lot to us.—
Scott Talley,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Analysis of the site shows that the burial population had predominantly (77 percent) western British and Irish ancestry.—
Duncan Sayer,
JSTOR Daily,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principally. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share