1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primary concern for many house hunters is the asking price
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in chief
highest in rank or authority
the movie's primary screenwriter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in preliminary
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows
a few minutes of primary instruction in the use of our diving gear before we actually got into the water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of primary
Moulton’s Senate primary rationale, stated or otherwise, rests on the enduring public image of former President Joe Biden, who withdrew from his 2024 reelection bid after a disastrous debate against Trump revealed limitations of being in office at age 82 and beyond.
—
David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Its primary products are gasoline and diesel.
—Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
In the United States, retail investors are those with net worth under $1 million (excluding primary residence) and income under $200,000.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Five years later Augusta had a stroke, with Ed acting as primary caretaker.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primary
David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025
Its primary products are gasoline and diesel.
—Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
In the United States, retail investors are those with net worth under $1 million (excluding primary residence) and income under $200,000.
—Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025
Five years later Augusta had a stroke, with Ed acting as primary caretaker.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primary
Adjective
-
Those designing the new main building decided to cut that association, the aim being to make the first-team facilities an area players must aspire to enter.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
In addition, Zacapa, the premium main sponsor of spirits at LAFS, will once again present the Visionary of the Year Award during the summit’s closing cocktail ceremony.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
What Kentucky House Bill 90 does Freestanding birthing centers, which have soared in popularity around the country in recent years, are separate from hospitals, providing a midwifery model of care with a focus on labor, delivery and the immediate postpartum period.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Tribal nations report no immediate significant effects on services like healthcare and education.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
According to Fu Wentao, chief pilot of the Jiaolong manned submersible, the team expanded the vessel’s usual single-point operating method during the Arctic mission.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Oct. 2025
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Knudsen, chief scientific adviser in research and early development at Novo Nordisk, played a pivotal role in turning it into an effective drug promoting weight loss that millions of people take today.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The grand jury indictment supersedes the criminal complaint and allows the criminal case to skip the preliminary hearing phase and move toward a trial.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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In Utah, preliminary hearings can be delayed for months in cases involving serious felonies, sometimes up to a year, according to Lazaro.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Otherwise, the return to land was relatively uneventful, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
-
MagellanTV co-founder Diefenbach will join Blue Ant as executive vp of streaming, overseeing the Canadian company’s direct-to-consumer and subscription video businesses and reporting to Carlyn Staudt, president, global channels and streaming.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Goodall was known as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees after spending decades studying them in the wild in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Jane Goodall, the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees whose work was captured in more than 40 documentaries, died Wednesday in California.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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These are showcased alongside engravers’ prints and unpublished documents, such as preparatory Polaroids and test prints annotated by Avedon.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
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There are now some preparatory tools that were not previously available.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The predominant narrative among many springs scientists, advocates and government officials is that rising nitrate levels in springs over the past few decades fuels the growth of excess algae.—
Christopher F. Meindl,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Facebook emerged as the predominant tool—particularly in Egypt and Tunisia—helping organizers broadcast calls to march, circulate videos and connect people across the country to turn out and oust their leaders.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primary. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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