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
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Recent Examples of main
Kyle Westaway, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The Condecine revenue feeds into the Fundo Setorial do Audiovisual (FSA), the country’s main incentive fund for indie production that also finances distribution and the exhibition infrastructure.
—Marcelo Cajueiro, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025
Five layers of quintessential Mediterranean flavors — hummus, chickpeas, feta, scallion and herbs, and tzatziki — make for a dip ideal for a party or a hearty vegetarian main.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
His company's main product—pitons, the metal spikes climbers hammered into rock faces—was literally destroying the granite walls of Yosemite.
—Kyle Westaway, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
The Condecine revenue feeds into the Fundo Setorial do Audiovisual (FSA), the country’s main incentive fund for indie production that also finances distribution and the exhibition infrastructure.
—Marcelo Cajueiro, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
When the water level dropped as a result, two village water mains and two sanitary force mains were uncovered.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2025
Five layers of quintessential Mediterranean flavors — hummus, chickpeas, feta, scallion and herbs, and tzatziki — make for a dip ideal for a party or a hearty vegetarian main.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
Given the steep, rocky terrain and limited dozer access, hand crews and aviation resources will remain the primary suppression tools.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Charlotte voters will finalize their primary picks for mayor and City Council on Tuesday.—
Josh Bergeron,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Expect spectacle, but also a story about claiming identity and embracing power.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Boise trustees have the unusual power to increase or decrease property tax collections.—
Kevin Richert,
Idaho Statesman,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
On the pitch, Ecuador have been the second-best team on their continent.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
South Africa is thought to have a coastal undersea freshwater bonanza, too, and there is at least anecdotal evidence that every continent may have the same.—
Rodrique Ngowi,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Understanding these dynamics is a key piece in the puzzle of planet formation, as dust settles into larger layers including pebbles and rocks, and eventually planetary cores.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Google is suffering outages in multiple countries, with core services such as Gmail and YouTube experiencing issues, the tracking website DownDetector reported.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
My research looked more at what happened peripherally in muscles, but the predominant model had the brain at the top.—
Sara Giordano,
The Conversation,
4 Sep. 2025
-
With global supplies heavily concentrated, most notably under China’s predominant influence, the risks of disruption due to trade restrictions or geopolitical tensions loom large.—
Sahit Muja,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
But there is really no reason why this should be the case for Pilates—which consists of different low-impact movements to strengthen your core muscles, increase your flexibility, improve your posture and give you more awareness of your body in general.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The first came after the Browns had their second muscle-flexing scoring drive of the day to take the lead.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The proposal envisioned extensive plans for alternative transportation to stadium events to lessen the impact on Rickenbacker Causeway traffic, including water taxi service and a network of continuous shuttle buses to and from several points on the mainland.—
Andres Viglucci,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Following the stingray attack, Irwin was transported by boat to the Low Isles, about nine miles from the mainland, where he was pronounced dead by medics.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Apart from lifting the ban on social media, the protesters’ other demands included that the Prime Minister resign and that Nepal establish an independent watchdog body similar to an ombudsman to monitor corruption.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But there is really no reason why this should be the case for Pilates—which consists of different low-impact movements to strengthen your core muscles, increase your flexibility, improve your posture and give you more awareness of your body in general.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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