1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primal theme of the essay is toleration of religious diversity
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
there was a period of primal idealism after the founding of the republic and before the rise of partisan politics
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primal
In the deciding tiebreak, having frittered away an earlier chance to serve out the match, Vavassori cranked serves and crushed overheads with primal grunts.
—
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Both involve profound sensations and potentially life-changing events; both reveal personality at its most feral and primal.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
Nick battles against primal urges and the choice to preserve his family, as music from James Brown, Janis Joplin, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones and Bruce Springsteen spell out the high-stakes emotions at play.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
Though Welch has not yet announced it, admirers of the singer believe the primal scream video is part of the ramping-up promotion for her as-yet-unannounced follow-up to 2022’s Dance Fever album.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Both involve profound sensations and potentially life-changing events; both reveal personality at its most feral and primal.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2025
Nick battles against primal urges and the choice to preserve his family, as music from James Brown, Janis Joplin, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones and Bruce Springsteen spell out the high-stakes emotions at play.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 12 Aug. 2025
Though Welch has not yet announced it, admirers of the singer believe the primal scream video is part of the ramping-up promotion for her as-yet-unannounced follow-up to 2022’s Dance Fever album.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal
Adjective
-
Punk is deeply tied into current main-event storylines with real-life married couple Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, so the impending couples brawl is a great story.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The stages of the eclipse include penumbral and umbral phases, which refer to the two main parts of the shadow that the moon casts.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Klein now had most of the funds needed to save a unique stand of ancient forest.—
David Gelles,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
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One would hope the Chicken Man, friend of ancient chickens, would eat less chicken, after all.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead of blasting in all directions, like a primitive roadside bomb, an EFP directs and concentrates the force of its explosion.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The body shell, fenders, and low-slung doors were hung on a ladder-type frame, primitive compared to the unibody MGB roadster that debuted in 1962.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Given the steep, rocky terrain and limited dozer access, hand crews and aviation resources will remain the primary suppression tools.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Charlotte voters will finalize their primary picks for mayor and City Council on Tuesday.—
Josh Bergeron,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The wilder West, meanwhile, is marked by vast, primeval cliffs that drop into an unforgiving ocean.—
Zoë Dare Hall,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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Suddenly, 43 seconds later, the sky cracked open and light came screaming out in a primeval flash of energy.—
David Perlmutt,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Observations of the large-scale structure of the universe and measurements of primordial gravitational waves could also make or break this new model.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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The primordial magnetic fields likely increased the cosmic web’s density, which would have sped up the formation of stars and galaxies, thereby influencing the universe’s current structure.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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My research looked more at what happened peripherally in muscles, but the predominant model had the brain at the top.—
Sara Giordano,
The Conversation,
4 Sep. 2025
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With global supplies heavily concentrated, most notably under China’s predominant influence, the risks of disruption due to trade restrictions or geopolitical tensions loom large.—
Sahit Muja,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
While Canada plays host to fascinating megafauna spanning from the polar bear to the gray wolf to the muskox, there’s one park in particular that offers a deep dive into the nation’s prehistoric past.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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According to Hamilton’s study, freely roaming bison in Yellowstone National Park—the only place in the lower 48 where bison have continuously free-ranged since prehistoric times—play a pivotal role in the ecosystem.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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