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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of main
Evan Thies,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2026
The co-main event saw Shara Magomedov win by unanimous decision.
—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
27 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
But those less main-stream views were largely not front-and-center.
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Evan Thies,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2026
The co-main event saw Shara Magomedov win by unanimous decision.
—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
27 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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LondonReuters — King Charles will not live at Buckingham Palace after its 10-year refurbishment finishes next year, royal officials said on Thursday, ending nearly two centuries of the central London landmark serving as the British monarch’s primary residence.
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Who enforces Assembly Bill 660 The primary responsibility for enforcing Assembly Bill 660, an amendment to the California Retail Food Code, falls on local enforcement, a spokesperson with the California Department of Public Health said.
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
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Extreme heat can quickly become dangerous and even deadly, especially on a continent where very few people have air conditioning.
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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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Reflective, multilayer shields will block the most heat, and ones with a thicker foam core will work much better than thin ones.
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Sperm production works best at a temperature slightly cooler than core body temperature.
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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Why barre keeps showing up on class schedules Barre is the low-impact entry in this lineup, blending ballet, pilates and yoga into high-repetition, small-range movements that tone muscles without battering the joints.
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Advertisement Doperak and Lund say that pickle juice is best used to treat muscle cramps, rather than prevent them.
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 29 Jun. 2026.
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