main 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of mainnext
as in primary
coming before all others in importance this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

main

2 of 2

noun

ˈmān How to pronounce main (audio)
1
as in power
muscular strength all their might and main could not budge the stalled car

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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

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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

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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 main
Adjective
The breaks occurred on June 26 when exceptionally heavy rainfall caused the failure in the 42-inch sewer force main near the South Mill Street Pumping Station in Haverhill. — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 5 July 2026 This unique formula is a main reason for the property’s instant success. — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Noun
Over the last three years, the MDC has replaced nearly 15,000 feet of storm drains and sewers and has repaired and rehabilitated 125,595 feet of sewer mains, according to the agency. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026 Make-ahead dishes, oven-ready mains and one-pot recipes free hosts to actually talk to their guests. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
  1. primary
  2. power
  3. continent
  4. core
  5. predominant
  6. muscle
  7. mainland
  8. body
Adjective
  • Leaving spring training, one of the primary concerns for the Rangers was its bullpen, and halfway through the season this group ranks 10th in MLB.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
  • The district’s surveillance traps show numbers of Culex mosquitos — the primary vectors of West Nile virus — are at their highest.
    — Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of primary
Noun
  • Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia reported raising alarms or fending off Iranian attacks, as Kuwait said another power and water desalination plant was hit.
    — Jomana Karadsheh, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
  • The strikes injured several people at the oil facility and caused a fire at the desalination plant, forcing several power generation units offline.
    — Jon Gambrell, Fortune, 18 July 2026
Definition of power
Noun
  • Coyotes, the true American canine, have roamed this continent for more than 2 million years and were venerated by many of those same Indigenous peoples who once made camp in Big Sky.
    — Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 July 2026
  • In 2015, an international team led by ecologist Thomas Crowther developed the first global tree-density map by combining satellite observations with hundreds of thousands of field measurements collected from every continent except Antarctica.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Definition of continent
Noun
  • The core interest aside from this being the final of a six-week long competition that only happens every four years is the country of Messi’s birth taking on the country that raised him.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Since the brain needs to drop its core temperature by roughly a degree to descend into deep sleep, a bedroom temperature of around 65-67 degrees Fahrenheit will help.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 18 July 2026
Definition of core
Adjective
  • The Hightower family is closely connected with the worship of the Seven, the predominant faith of Westeros, and Ormund seems to be a model believer.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
  • Menus change every few days but always feature fresh, whole, plant-predominant foods.
    — Eve Chen, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of predominant
Noun
  • Mozeliak said the Angels should not consider a trade proposal in isolation, without considering how to flex their major-market muscles to fill whatever hole a trade might create.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Livano Comenencia’s equalizer and Dick Advocaat’s emotional reaction were great but this was a muscle flex if there ever was one.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of muscle
Noun
  • By the time Noe and his sons were back home and had moored the boat to their wharf on the narrow pass that separated Cheniere Disparue from the mainland, the last low clouds of the front hung over the Gulf.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Some Chinese residents crossed the border to buy books deemed to be too politically sensitive on the mainland.
    — Kanis Leung, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of mainland
Noun
  • Hopkinson and chief financial officer Simon Capper visited Nyon, Switzerland, on multiple occasions, while the CEO also spoke to governing-body representatives in Budapest before the Champions League final in May.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Issues of potential fertility decline in this male population also need to be addressed, as well as signs of high testosterone including sleep issues, excess body hair, liver disease, weight gain and mood disorders.
    — Nina Shapiro, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of body

Phrases Containing main

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maims
main
mainland
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Cite this Entry

“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of main for Spanish Speakers

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