prim

adjective

ˈprim How to pronounce prim (audio)
Definition of primnext
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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 prim Add heeled ballerinas, keep the rest of your outfit relatively unfussy, and let the contrast between prim and polished do the hard work. — Georgia Brown, Glamour, 29 Aug. 2026 Over a period of two decades—in the prim ’50s and the looser ’60s—every stylish film in Hollywood seemed to star Audrey Hepburn. — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 24 July 2026 The best restaurant sauces can tempt even the most prim and proper of us to lift up our plates and lick them clean. — Rochelle Bilow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 July 2026 The vibe of every room is prim and professional, with clean lines and neutral tones, creating spaces that would feel appropriate as the backdrop of a last-minute work Zoom, but not too rigid for the kick-off of a leisure trip. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for prim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prim
  1. tidy
  2. Victorian
  3. trim
  4. puritanical
  5. neat
  6. orderly
Adjective
  • The midterm elections furnished prediction markets with nearly two billion dollars in bets, a tidy sum for a teetering democracy.
    — Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Many pollinators overwinter in leaf litter, and making your garden too tidy can reduce the numbers of bees and butterflies that visit in spring.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of tidy
Adjective
  • In St Leonard’s a good choice is St Benedict’s BnB, a quirky guesthouse filled with Victorian memorabilia.
    — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • Begonias, once adored during the Victorian Era, are experiencing a resurgence in popularity.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2026
Definition of Victorian
Adjective
  • The trim, Venezuelan-leaning restaurant sits at the nexus of the fast-developing Melrose Hill, across the street from Little Fish and Kuya Lord and around the corner from Bar Étoile.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Drawing on his experiences as a wrestler and 24-hour gym-bro style, fits were kept trim so Dong could wear, say, a pair of training shorts ($98) with a matching black quarter zip ($155) to workout in between market appointments in Paris.
    — Ari Stark, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of trim
Adjective
  • With an almost puritanical zeal, Pavese sought to banish rhetoric and image.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Our culture is losing sight of the value of knowledge and literacy, embracing instead ideas that are surface-level, puritanical and uncomplicated.
    — Mckenna Friedland, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of puritanical
Adjective
  • But as with most of design history, his career is not easily packaged into neat boxes.
    — Adrian Madlener, Curbed, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The sun sinks low over China’s northeastern rice fields as combines with spinning metal teeth slice neat rows in the tawny stocks.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of neat
Adjective
  • Rooms are spacious by Tokyo standards, service is warm and accommodating, and the calm, orderly atmosphere suits quieter family trips.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026
  • A lot of these orderly compositions soon give off the impression of a cage — if Mari Kusu’s performance as Takeshi’s mother, bristling with frustration, didn’t already imply as much.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of orderly

Browse Nearby Words

prigs
prim
primacy
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Cite this Entry

“Prim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prim. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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