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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primal
There’s something about the night sounds and waking up to dewdrops on the grass that really just scratches a primal itch.
—
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2025
The moral scaffolding that keeps us from giving in to our primal desires gets ripped away and, naturally, very rudimentary notions of decency fall apart.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
For one thing, human brains appear to be wired for short term gains, a kind of primal instinct of survival that puts a premium on what could be captured today.
—Harry Kraemer, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
At their heart is some primal fear: that evil, or evil people, can control us without our even realizing it.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2025
The moral scaffolding that keeps us from giving in to our primal desires gets ripped away and, naturally, very rudimentary notions of decency fall apart.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Mar. 2025
For one thing, human brains appear to be wired for short term gains, a kind of primal instinct of survival that puts a premium on what could be captured today.
—Harry Kraemer, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
At their heart is some primal fear: that evil, or evil people, can control us without our even realizing it.
—Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal
Adjective
-
In a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted just after Trump's inauguration, some 55% of respondents said either inflation or the broader economy should be Trump's main focus in his first 100 days in office, which run through April 30.—
Jason Lange,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
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The space, which is located at 1415 4th Ave. had housed offices and a spa in the past, and because of this the layout includes a large main area and multiple smaller 10-foot by 13-foot rooms.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The museum has a world-class collection, including works by iconic artists like da Vinci, Monet, and Van Gogh, alongside ancient artifacts.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Leland presented European material as the survival of an ancient pagan cult—moreover, a paganism that had been demonized by Christianity.—
Angelica Frey,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.—
Joseph J. Kolb,
Fox News,
18 July 2017
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Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
12 July 2017
Adjective
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The port has a heavy military presence in addition to being a primary hub for fuel imports, Yemeni sources said.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images Less than two months before the official start of hurricane season, the nation’s primary disaster-response agency faces an uncertain future.—
Molly Taft,
Wired News,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Los Angeles, like the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and the Santa Monica Mountains, will never return to its primeval state.—
Edward Ring,
Oc Register,
22 Apr. 2025
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Six secluded individual bungalows sit behind a network of thriving greenery meant to evoke Miyakojima’s inland primeval forests.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The company’s project involved recovering DNA of the extinct dire wolf from a fossil tooth found in Idaho and an ear bone in Ohio, parts of the animal’s primordial habitat, but the key was its editing of a donor genome of the gray wolf to alter 14 of its genes.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Apr. 2025
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Her analysis of dreams taps into a primordial function that night visions played in human society long before Freud showed up.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The two main red grapes here are Syrah and Grenache, with Syrah the predominant variety in the north and Grenache holding first place in the south, where it is also blended with other grapes including Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Cinsault.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
18 Apr. 2025
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For citizenship behavior, relationship quality was the predominant mediator.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Well, a team of scientists unearthed ancient footprints that offer insight into how various prehistoric animals lived as far back as 50 million years.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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Before boarding the barge in Inverness, travelers can visit Culloden Moor, the scene of the famous 1746 battle, a pivotal moment in Outlander and Clava Cairns, the burial site of a prehistoric clan chieftain, widely believed to have inspired the standing stones of Craigh na Dun in the series.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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