1
as in derivative
taken or created from something original or basic
history textbooks are secondary sources for historical information and do not represent original research
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
of little or less value or merit
we need to focus on getting the groceries bought and the rent paid—everything else is secondary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dependent
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of secondary
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2025
Signs With Steelers Last season, the defensive secondary was a major issue.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Larry Holder, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Always proud of his fastball-slider combo, Rodón previously said that he’s become less stubborn about sticking to his bread and butter as his secondary stuff has improved.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for secondary
Adjective
He’s shown a healthy balance of emphasis on his defensive fronts and his secondaries in his time calling defenses, and the Cowboys need to plug holes in each.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2025
Signs With Steelers Last season, the defensive secondary was a major issue.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Noun
All that said, tennis is one of the few sports or genres that’s been down from one year ago, with total sales on the secondary market down 5.11 percent.
—Larry Holder, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Always proud of his fastball-slider combo, Rodón previously said that he’s become less stubborn about sticking to his bread and butter as his secondary stuff has improved.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for secondary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secondary
Adjective
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Creativity remains essential because AI is ultimately derivative.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Some of its scenes are derivative and its secondary characters are under-developed.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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The club insisted Isak was left behind because of a minor thigh problem but The Athletic reported on Thursday sources, speaking anonymously as they were not authorised to do so publicly, indicated the forward favoured being omitted amid his uncertain future.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
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More Songs is, in effect, Eno’s debut as a capital-P producer, notwithstanding some minor early efforts and, of course, David Bowie’s landmark sessions for Low and Heroes.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
Noun
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Social Security provides benefits to more than 74 million Americans, including retirees, veterans, and their dependents.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
19 July 2025
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And the 1987 requirement that taxpayers supply Social Security numbers for dependent children resulted in a marked difference in the numbers of dependents claimed on returns—seven million fewer dependent children were claimed than in the previous year.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Adjective
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Instead of allowing senior citizens and disabled first-responders choose the plan that was right for them — and the vast majority have chosen traditional Medicare — de Blasio forced every one of them into an inferior Medicare Advantage plan run by a for-profit insurance company.—
Marianne Pizzitola,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
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The bolder value vision is in using new AI capabilities to solve long-standing inefficiencies or problems that may have been targeted before, albeit with inferior technology.—
Beena Ammanath,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Byron and Cabot’s concert hug rose to internet fame and sparked widespread affair allegations on Thursday after a clip, posted on TikTok, showed the CEO holding his subordinate in his arms at the Gillette Stadium show.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
19 July 2025
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The disclosure appears to rule out problems with the company’s accounting, mishandling of day-to-day business or questionable conduct with a subordinate.—
Alexander Coolidge,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Zion Robinson, Senior, Mansfield Robinson, a Michigan commit, put up 532 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior within a well-rounded offense.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 July 2025
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As a junior, Kelly helped lead the Eagles to a 14-1 record and was teammates with current Cincinnati running back Jakorion Caffey.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Or, consider elevator and escalator installers and repairers, who earned a mean annual wage of $106,580.—
Robert Farrington,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
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Grab lunch at Red Hills Market or Merenda Italian Deli (both make a mean sandwich) before popping into Sokol Blosser or Durant Vineyards, ending in Dayton with dinner at Loam and overnighting in a retro Airstream at The Vintages campground.—
Zoe Baillargeon,
Travel + Leisure,
20 July 2025
Noun
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Boulos, who moved back to South Florida four years ago, has long been the subject of countless conspiracy theories and corruption allegations on social media.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
22 July 2025
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The bag of cocaine found at the White House during the Biden administration has been the subject of much controversy, as speculation mounted that the bag belonged to Hunter Biden, whose struggles with drug and alcohol addiction had been widely known.—
Hailey Bullis,
The Washington Examiner,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Secondary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secondary. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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