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
Finnerty Mackay, who blended prim wool tailoring with Latex shirts and shaggy skirts, said his collection was inspired by addiction.
—
Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
The film is incredibly, even magnificently, stylish, but beyond its initial presentation, there just isn’t very much guiding the story in any novel or exciting ways — beyond, perhaps, thematic echoes of how the less prim-and-proper tech bros of today might be pulling a fast one too.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
Last year’s boxing boot trend set the stage for a more prim and polished throwback in 2026.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, Refinery29, 4 Feb. 2026
Her character, a prim lawyer with a perfect ponytail named Kim Wexler, was initially meant to provide Bob Odenkirk’s Jimmy, a character spun off from Breaking Bad, with someone to confide in.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prim
Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 20 Feb. 2026
The film is incredibly, even magnificently, stylish, but beyond its initial presentation, there just isn’t very much guiding the story in any novel or exciting ways — beyond, perhaps, thematic echoes of how the less prim-and-proper tech bros of today might be pulling a fast one too.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
Last year’s boxing boot trend set the stage for a more prim and polished throwback in 2026.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, Refinery29, 4 Feb. 2026
Her character, a prim lawyer with a perfect ponytail named Kim Wexler, was initially meant to provide Bob Odenkirk’s Jimmy, a character spun off from Breaking Bad, with someone to confide in.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prim
Adjective
-
All restomods are a substantial investment in time and financial resources, and the Wood & Pickett Mini by Callum doesn’t buck that trend, considering a tidy original Cooper S is half the price.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Because things aren’t always as tidy as a win-loss record or conference seeding might suggest.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Opting for ornate hardware and rings or adding a trim detail above the window—or to the fabric itself—can also help to give lighter curtains more substance.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Some of the South’s top interior designers reassure us that there is a time and place for matching trim-wall combos, and other scenarios when contrast is encouraged.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Cleopatra Called This curler took the puritanical twigs that were my eyelashes and pressed them into lush crescent fans of divine feminine bliss.—
Fiona Landers,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
-
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
Adjective
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For more than a century, academics identified this statue as conveying a calm, neat, and virtuous masculinity.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Mar. 2026
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Putting it in spring training was always a neat solution, but don’t the game’s best players deserve to give their all in a competition that will bring glory and pride to their home nations?—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
While the materiality swings largely, from resin to beech, the consistency of the tones gives an orderly look to the home which is very important for small spaces.—
Giada Storelli,
Architectural Digest,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Boarding happens back to front to keep things orderly and peaceful.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prim. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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