as in main
coming before all others in importance
the cardinal rule of medicine: do no harm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 cardinal
This is a short squeeze as hedge funds forgot the cardinal rule: never short something the first 30 days of an IPO.
—
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 May 2025
Look, but don’t touch is the cardinal rule at most museums.
—Nevin Martell, USA Today, 27 May 2025
But no betting on baseball was the cardinal rule, and Rose knew it.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
Shred cheese: As always, follow one of the cardinal rules of casserole making in the South: Shred your own cheese.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 May 2025
Look, but don’t touch is the cardinal rule at most museums.
—Nevin Martell, USA Today, 27 May 2025
But no betting on baseball was the cardinal rule, and Rose knew it.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
Shred cheese: As always, follow one of the cardinal rules of casserole making in the South: Shred your own cheese.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cardinal
Adjective
-
These tickets have to be redeemed at the Florida Lottery main office in Tallahassee or one of the district offices.—
David J. Neal
July 6,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2025
-
The Michigan woman’s family told PEOPLE that one particular food — the potato — is a main contributing factor to her living a long life.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
Disclosure data shows that more than a dozen lawyers and paralegals with the New York Legal Assistance Group made cash contributions to Mamdani’s campaign ahead of the primary election.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
29 June 2025
-
The second floor has the primary suite, which is large and has a private balcony that overlooks the grounds.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Rivera is especially excited by the National Music Theater Conference this year since truly original work is developed there in contrast to the predominant commercial theater trend of basing musicals closely on classic movies or novels.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2025
-
That is clearly what happened in this redistricting in Louisiana where race was the predominant factor used to draw congressional boundaries.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
The 22-year-old is fresh off a dominant senior season and is widely regarded as one of the top quarterback prospects of his respective class.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
-
Yang said the hybrid ants have become the explorers and front guard for the fire ant invasion into colder and more northerly areas, becoming the dominant fire ant species in the upper elevations of Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia.—
Gareth McGrath,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Giard grew up to become both a voracious reader (with a B.A. in English and American literature from Yale and an M.A. in comparative literature from Boston University) and a foremost chronicler of writers.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 June 2025
-
One of the Jet Propulsion Lab’s foremost scientists says the futuristic outpost is still hoping against hope that the president’s plan for NASA will be overturned by Congress.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Consider the impact: Over 850,000 farms and ranches currently claim this deduction, with usage jumping to 70% among operations where the principal operator is primarily engaged in farming or ranching.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
-
That will increase interest and principal payments on the debt from about $10 trillion ($1 trillion in interest, $9 trillion in principal) to about $18 trillion (of which $2 trillion is interest payments).—
Ray Dalio,
Time,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
The legislation centers on making permanent many benefits from Trump's first term that would otherwise expire by year's end, potentially triggering automatic increases for millions of Americans.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
-
Clement swung and missed as González recorded his first major-league strikeout.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Through their new Up Payment program, Progressive is helping more first-time and first-gen buyers take that first big step. Take out your phones and scan the QR code on the screen — or visit progressive.com/openthehouse — to start your journey today.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 July 2025
-
Collins hits a big ball, the kind that can send Świątek backpedaling, rushing her forehand.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cardinal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cardinal. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share