as in primary
coming before all others in importance
this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in power
muscular strength
all their might and main could not budge the stalled car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in continent
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division
islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in core
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
the main of the tree is still healthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of main
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Dawn’s main character, Lilith, awakens in the care of an alien species long after Earth has been destroyed by nuclear war.
—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Laura Itzkowitz,
Robb Report,
4 June 2026
Try bar bites like Mission Street guacamole, Dungeness crab rolls, or Mary’s chicken sliders, then move on to mains like Lobster Thermidor, 14-day dry-aged Flannery Beef, and roasted butternut squash ravioli.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
The stylistic eccentricities have been dialed back, including the use of old Hollywood film clips to reflect the action and possibly the thoughts of its main character, a cinephile from space, who is both practicing and enacting the work of a private detective.
—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Dawn’s main character, Lilith, awakens in the care of an alien species long after Earth has been destroyed by nuclear war.
—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Noun
JKCafé serves club sandwiches and Caesar salads in addition to classic Roman pastas and mains.
—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Robb Report,
4 June 2026
Try bar bites like Mission Street guacamole, Dungeness crab rolls, or Mary’s chicken sliders, then move on to mains like Lobster Thermidor, 14-day dry-aged Flannery Beef, and roasted butternut squash ravioli.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
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National Institutes of Health announced that the agency, along with researchers from the University of Florida, would begin clinical trials on mitragynine, the primary psychoactive compound in kratom, to evaluate its potential as a treatment for opioid use disorder.
-
Furthermore, buildings must now identify backup service providers to ensure repairs can be made even if primary companies are unavailable or out of business.
Noun
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To put these figures in perspective, the entire city of San Francisco consumes about 1 gigawatt of power.
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The Hermosa Beach Pier closed Sunday morning after a truck collided with nearby power lines.
Noun
-
Extreme heat can quickly become dangerous and even deadly, especially on a continent where very few people have air conditioning.
-
The advisors entrusted with guiding substantial fortunes must combine technical expertise, strategic foresight and an ability to serve clients whose financial lives often span businesses, generations and continents.
Noun
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Keep a core of year-round basics, then rotate a few season-specific pieces in and out as the weather turns.
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The home and core ranges reflected strong loyalty between these areas less than 258 miles apart.
Adjective
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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.
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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.
Noun
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Sprinting entails pushing off with your feet and abruptly activating your calf muscles.
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Symptoms include muscle cramps, extreme fatigue, impaired performance, headache, irritability, nausea, dizziness, cramping and dehydration.
Noun
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Washington is obligated by a domestic law to provide the island with sufficient hardware to fend off any invasion from the mainland.
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The drugs were thought to have been brought over by dinghy from Anzio on the mainland, police said.
Noun
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Barrett's body was found in a ditch along Interstate 95 in Jacksonville, Florida, on March 24, 1980.
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Coupled with high humidity, conditions in some places are approaching the limits of human survivability — the point at which our bodies simply cannot adapt.
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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