1
as in tidy
being clean and in good order
behind the bed-and-breakfast is a prim little garden where guests are served afternoon tea
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in Victorian
given to or marked by very conservative standards regarding personal behavior or morals
a very prim and proper matron was in charge of the girls' dorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prim
The fashion pendulum has now swung back in favor of the kind of polished, prim elegance in which peplums feel right at home—and as Jenna Ortega proves too, a peplum can be very, very cool.
—
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2025
Zain did in fact seem too prim for the situation.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Nutcrackercore seems to have one foot in the prim and proper balletcore trend, but with a perfectly personal take that’s rife with possibility.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2025
Soft-sided, worn and loved became important and foot-forming ultrasoft kid leather shoes changed the vibe from prim to cool.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prim
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2025
Zain did in fact seem too prim for the situation.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025
Nutcrackercore seems to have one foot in the prim and proper balletcore trend, but with a perfectly personal take that’s rife with possibility.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Nov. 2025
Soft-sided, worn and loved became important and foot-forming ultrasoft kid leather shoes changed the vibe from prim to cool.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prim
Adjective
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Instead, keep your home office or cubicle looking nice and tidy by turning empty glass jars into organizers that can house everything from pens and markers to paperclips.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
17 Feb. 2026
-
For a tidy, full-bodied plant, Wood recommends pruning shoots back within the framework of the shrub’s habit.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Sherlock Holmes series adds a touch of Victorian charm with rich wood paneling, brass accents, and cozy reading nooks perfect for sleuthing through your own novels.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
23 Aug. 2025
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In the 2001 episode shot above Times Square, the poet Michael Stipe sits regal in a Victorian skirt and peppers Automatic for the People and Reveal songs with a rant about George Bush’s nuclear energy policy.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Fringing and trim–ideally both at once–are always a good idea.—
Hannah Coates,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Expect to see warmer, richer colors in their place—like muted terracotta, ochre, clay, olive, and rich browns—woven into wood paneling, trim, fabrics, and stone.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Statistics like these have become part of a discussion about whether the culture is growing prudish and puritanical.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
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Print-media outlets—at least the types of places that can still afford investigative desks—are often sclerotic, quasi-puritanical institutions that discourage their practitioners from too much self-promotion or marketing.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Peering through the grating of a six-foot fence, Marjoleine and I could see the first brave apple blossoms, red spears of rhubarb, and compost piles, some neat, most unruly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
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Shuffling the dataset’s very finite fashion footprint aside to look elsewhere, sportswear formed a neat cluster—and a useful comparison.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The film’s early images — lush fairways, orderly golf course rituals, bodies moving through a dewy, manicured world of leisure — project an intoxicating, utopian calm.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
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Texans want an orderly immigration system, not the fear and chaos sewn by the surge of untrained ICE recruits.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prim. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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