as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
all life on Earth supposedly came from a primordial ooze in existence many millions of years ago
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Recent Examples of primordial
Scientists at the company have cultivated primordial germ cells — early precursors to sperm and egg cells — from the pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative.
—
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
Dancing with an old fave will be almost as exciting as getting a glimpse of the primordial riverbed, which is usually covered with sludge.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
In the labs, visitors are shown how scientists take red blood cells from a developing egg embryo – within the blood will be the primordial germ cells, which develop into egg and sperm in adult birds.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
One gets the sense of a man perpetually drawn to the edge of the unknown, as the boy to the edge of the sea—to questions about our primordial origins, about the etiology and eschatology of our planet, about what erodes and what endures.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2026
Dancing with an old fave will be almost as exciting as getting a glimpse of the primordial riverbed, which is usually covered with sludge.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
In the labs, visitors are shown how scientists take red blood cells from a developing egg embryo – within the blood will be the primordial germ cells, which develop into egg and sperm in adult birds.
—Mike Snider, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
One gets the sense of a man perpetually drawn to the edge of the unknown, as the boy to the edge of the sea—to questions about our primordial origins, about the etiology and eschatology of our planet, about what erodes and what endures.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primordial
Adjective
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The layout of the common areas is reminiscent of traditional ancient Roman housing (there are a lot of curves), albeit with bright walls plastered with contemporary artwork by local and international artists.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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And now a new study of ancient grape seeds found across France adds to the puzzle, revealing that humans have been consuming at least one grape variety for hundreds of years.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There are nine primitive, tent-only sites without electric access.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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Anacapa Island, for instance, has no services aside from some primitive campsites, a lighthouse and limited hiking options, but is also a major seabird rookery from April to August, which translates to lots of bird poop, noise, bird carcasses and territorial bird behavior.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Evil Kirk is a frightening, primal menace, skulking around the corridors like a feral beast, chugging brandy and assaulting Yeoman Rand with no conscience.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
22 Mar. 2026
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Gaining rare access to vibrant young people brimming with energy and doubt, uncertain if tomorrow even exists, the filmmaker reveals how living fiercely in the moment becomes a primal defense.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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Visitors can learn about the area’s prehistoric past at this walk-through exhibition on the shore of Grapevine Lake, with hands-on activities for the whole family.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
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The findings, which published February 19 in the journal Science, suggest that the prehistoric creature is a close relative of Spinosaurus aegyptiacus, a giant fish-eating dinosaur with a sail across its back, first described in 1915 by German paleontologist Ernst Stromer von Reichenbach.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Kovacich’s parole hearing came amid heightened scrutiny of California’s early release programs for inmates.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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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
“Primordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primordial. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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