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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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

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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
TikTok is Enhanse’s largest retail channel and main point of discovery. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026 The bloc supporting Netanyahu’s main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats. — Josephine Murphy, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2026
Noun
Wednesday, reporting a high-pressure gas main struck on Prospect Avenue between Eighth Avenue and Prospect Park West. — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 At one point, Coover pulled the cover off a super-chilled metallic cylinder labeled big baby main. — Kyle Paoletta, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 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
  • The Heat used Larsson, Portis, Hardaway and Nikola Jovic as its four primary reserves for the third straight game to start the season.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • One thing most agree on is that the diminishment of competitive seats leads to greater polarization because legislators are only beholden to primary voters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of primary
Noun
  • Jean Gilles Bernard Camille, a community organizer who lives in a gang stronghold in the capital, said foreign forces have repeatedly underestimated the capacity and power of Haitian gangs and their ability to adapt.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Georgy Tikhomirov, a nuclear physicist at Russia’s MEPhI university, said there is still too little operating experience to assess the actual cost of the electricity and power produced.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of power
Noun
  • Dmitriev followed up by posting a meme about the new global world order — an American eagle and a Russian bear together snarling at a British lion over the fate of a fracturing European continent.
    — Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 2 Nov. 2026
  • More than 25 unions across six continents backed the organizing movement, per Reuters.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of continent
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the MacBook Neo's iPhone-grade chip outperformed Googlebooks’ processors in single-core performance, while losing out on multi-core performance by varying (but overall large) margins.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As that enormous dome thinned through the Holocene, its margin withdrew up onto Baffin Island, and what’s left today is the deflated core of something that was once two miles thick.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of core
Adjective
  • Another complicating factor is that H1N1 has been the dominant strain this year, compared to the previous few years when the H3N2 strain was the predominant one.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 30 Oct. 2026
  • What readers are saying The conversation explores the complex dynamics between small-scale and industrial agriculture, with a predominant focus on the challenges and implications of each approach.
    — Tamar Haspel, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of predominant
Noun
  • The intention of peptide users is to have the muscle-building effects of anabolic steroids without the side effects of infertility, oily skin, acne, liver inflammation, and so on.
    — Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Hip dysplasia and muscle atrophy can also prevent animals from completing training.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of muscle
Noun
  • Revenue in mainland China fell 25% to 30%, while Europe and other regions recorded a 50% to 55% decline.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Later, another wave of immigrants from mainland China came over.
    — Christopher Solomon, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of mainland
Noun
  • Investigators found Amy in a separate area with a ligature around her neck and burns covering up to 30% of her body, according to court documents.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Several different types of peptides are naturally found in the body, like insulin and endorphins.
    — Renée Onque, CNBC, 24 Oct. 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 6 Nov. 2026.

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