1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primal theme of the essay is toleration of religious diversity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 primal
Shakespeare’s fierce and primal tragedy follows the celebrated warrior who knows how to conquer enemies but not how to win hearts.
—
Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
Cumming then invited everyone in attendance to join him in a collective primal scream at world events.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 22 Feb. 2026
Perhaps there’s no such thing as perfect when a film’s emotional scope is so ambitious and so primal, all at once.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Dog Day Afternoon is the third rail of male love and loneliness—a primal scream from the sweltering streets of a stone broke New York City.
—Jenny Lumet, Vanity Fair, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primal
Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
Cumming then invited everyone in attendance to join him in a collective primal scream at world events.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 22 Feb. 2026
Perhaps there’s no such thing as perfect when a film’s emotional scope is so ambitious and so primal, all at once.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Feb. 2026
Dog Day Afternoon is the third rail of male love and loneliness—a primal scream from the sweltering streets of a stone broke New York City.
—Jenny Lumet, Vanity Fair, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal
Adjective
-
Demonstrators flocked to protests around the country to march, stand in crowds or line main streets.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Sirens alerted people to seek shelter in and around Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beer Sheba and areas near the country’s main nuclear research center, which were targeted by Iranian strikes that injured dozens last weekend.—
Farnoush Amiri,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But this modern approach is teamed with ancient medicinal practices and a holistic, full-circle philosophy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Passover is a major Jewish holiday commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For example, synthetic blastoids develop a blastocoel cavity and the three main cell types (epiblast, trophectoderm, and primitive endoderm) within one week, just like natural blastocysts.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Mar. 2026
-
There are nine primitive, tent-only sites without electric access.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The primary retreat anchors dual bathrooms, a private salon and an oversized dressing room.—
Sandra Barrera,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the May 5 Democratic primary election, which pits a progressive newcomer and a longtime political gadfly against an incumbent with strong ties to Indy Democrats, could act as a proxy for voters' feelings about the party establishment.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This 50-square-mile crescent in the Pacific has the southernmost coral reef in the world and a wealth of wilderness walks that include everything from primeval banyan forests to endangered ground-dwelling birds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California Time slows to a primeval pace in the sequoia groves that make up Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where arboreal giants have watched the seasons come and go for more than 2,000 years.—
Sarah L. Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
In retrospect, taken collectively, much of McCarthy’s work as an actor, filmmaker and journalist hinges on the friendship motif — that primordial ache to belong, that yearning to be seen.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
The universe’s primordial quark-gluon plasma was, in fact, soupy.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Television continues to be the predominant medium in India, reaching approximately 745 million individuals weekly.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Dark green is the predominant color in this manicure even though a black shade serves as the base.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kovacich’s parole hearing came amid heightened scrutiny of California’s early release programs for inmates.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
By the early 1980s, soft-rock bands were out of fashion and Seals & Crofts had been dropped by its label, Warner Bros.—
Hillel Italie,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
