as in main
coming before all others in importance
the cardinal rule of medicine: do no harm
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Recent Examples of cardinal
One in five Catholics today are African yet Africa still holds only around 10% of the cardinal seats of power at the Vatican.
—
Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Four causeways in the cardinal directions connect the mainland to a central plaza, which contains two sacrificial temples.
—Big Think, 1 Apr. 2026
The cardinal tetra is one of the most popular pet fish in the world.
—Jeff Guo, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
But panic-selling violates two or three cardinal rules of investing.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Four causeways in the cardinal directions connect the mainland to a central plaza, which contains two sacrificial temples.
—Big Think, 1 Apr. 2026
The cardinal tetra is one of the most popular pet fish in the world.
—Jeff Guo, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
But panic-selling violates two or three cardinal rules of investing.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cardinal
Adjective
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Patrick was addressing attendees of the Republican Party of Texas’ state convention in Houston from the event’s main stage.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
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Reuters — Hungary’s main opposition Fidesz party re-elected former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as its leader on Saturday for another year despite the party’s loss of power in an April 12 election to the center-right Tisza party.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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These powerful systems are well-suited for developing and tuning edge models and agents, but are not primary robotics deployment platforms.—
Bill Curtis,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
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Other highlights include a gym and a plush primary suite flaunting a stainless-steel fireplace.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
American resumes flights American Airlines, the predominant carrier at Miami International Airport, resumed its service to Venezuela between Miami and Caracas in late April after a multi-year hiatus.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
28 May 2026
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During the Indianapolis 500 Sunday, Busch was honored on the 18th lap of the race, 18 being the predominant number on his stock car.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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When the Phoenix Mercury started chipping away at the Valkyries’ 18-point lead, threatening to turn a dominant night into a late-game nightmare, Golden State had a simple answer.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
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The exhibition challenges audiences to excavate layers of meaning behind these visual documents to reveal the myriad stories muted by a dominant colonial narrative.—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Construction began in 2006 after a competition that attracted some of the world’s foremost architectural firms and months of debate over whether to rebuild where thousands were killed in the 9/11 attacks.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Sheku’s universal appeal, which reaches far beyond traditional classical audiences, combined with his credibility as one of the world’s foremost cellists, makes this a unique acquisition for us.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Madison went on to become one of the principal architects of the Constitution and, later, the primary drafter of the Bill of Rights.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
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August Pi i Sunyer and the study’s co-principal investigator.—
Isabella Backman,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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Acquired as part of the 2024 deal that sent left-hander Garrett Crochet to the Boston Red Sox, Montgomery is the final prospect of Chicago’s return to make his big-league debut.—
Johnny Flores Jr,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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Nearby Ocean City has the Boardwalk and great restaurants, but Assateague is a big attraction for nature lovers, offering the chance to camp, swim and explore nature all in one place.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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The righty was later pulled after allowing singles to the first two batters of the fifth inning, both of whom later scored and counted against Morris’ statline.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
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The first serious legal challenge to the House settlement will come courtesy of a USC freshman linebacker.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cardinal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cardinal. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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