MAINLY Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

mainly

adverb

ˈmān-lē

Definition of mainly

as in mostly

for the most part you mainly need to focus on improving your golf swing

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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 mainly The $8 trillion will be spent mainly on cars, homes, travel and retail. — Robert Frank, CNBC, 17 July 2026 Japan has a law to punish vandalizing foreign national flags, mainly those displayed at diplomatic facilities, to avoid international disputes. — ABC News, 17 July 2026 In the past, procurement was included mainly in downstream executional work related to contracts and budgets. — Michelle Douglas, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026 This car is mainly painted white across its upper aerodynamic surfaces. — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mainly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mainly

Adverb

Hughes’ fall on this list mostly stems from major growth from others above him and the lack of term left on his deal.

— Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026
That case focused mostly on the details of the knife attack itself; the federal one delves more into questions of motive.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026

Definition of mostly

Adverb

Called the Georgia Power 100, these players are chosen primarily on their high school production track record, though college potential is considered.

— Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
Rittenhouse’s research primarily deals with studying endangered and threatened bat species and impacts of land planning and management uses.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026

Definition of primarily

Adverb

The problem is Will Ferrell as Lonnie Hawkins, an utter miscalculation of characterization and performance chiefly responsible for turning what could be middling comedy into an unbearable slog.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 16 July 2026
Bouaddi was born into an aspirational family in Creil — a town of around 36,000 people in northern France, around an hour’s drive from Paris, and known chiefly as being where gangster and jailbreaker Redoine Faid is from.

— Tom Williams, New York Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of chiefly

Adverb

As camera adoption has become more widespread in recent years, those concerns have largely faded away, according to Common Council President Sabrina Madison.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 July 2026
What today's affordable new homes offer—and the tradeoffs Where buyers are most likely to find a deal on new construction depends largely on the local market.

— Mike Winters, CNBC, 23 July 2026

Definition of largely

Adverb

Once known predominantly for projecting educational installations at museums and aquariums, IMAX spent decades trying to break into the mainstream, though its limited network of theatres and analog-only format proved prohibitive for major studios.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
So have members of the predominantly Black church where her body was discovered May 8.

— Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026

Definition of predominantly

Adverb

Although some of these new institutions may adopt the name college, they won't be architected around classrooms and their business model won't be principally tuition-based.

— Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
The war within the Republican Party was not principally an ideological war, though.

— Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Definition of principally

Adverb

Most of the other people that were on American Bandstand were all those Italian dudes with great voices singing songs for girls, basically.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2026
Insider tip Rideshares are basically nonexistent out here—renting a car is definitely the move.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026

Definition of basically

Adverb

Tournament football isn’t generally conducive to pressing, with so many matches squeezed into such a short window, and without the cohesion that comes from club sides training together for months.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Checks are generally distributed on Wednesdays, based on the day of the month you were born.

— Brian Sloan, CNBC, 21 July 2026

Definition of generally

Browse Nearby Words

mainlands

mainly

main man

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“Mainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mainly. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mainly

adverb

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