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
Relevance
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
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
However, your front yard doesn't need to feel too prim and proper.
—
Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 27 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for prim
Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 27 Feb. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for prim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prim
Adjective
-
Maryam had a practical, tidy mind, and Farhan's sudden disappearance had unhinged her.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Bottom Line The connection between a tidy space and a calmer mind is more than folk wisdom.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 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
-
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
-
For the invite-only event, Roberts styled the shorts with a black zip-up jacket with white trim, oversized sunglasses, and leather ankle boots.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Nearly every automaker has some off-road variant or trim.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Experts are split on the subject, but Alfoneh argued the key differences will be a greater stress on Iranian nationalism and less concern with the puritanical social policies of the clerical government.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
The security gates are meant to be a neat assembly line, not a five-car pileup.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This can have the smoothness of the gel, but is often more neat and clean than the gels and sticks.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the original state of nature, ground zero of social contract theory, a group of people would come together to decide on the principles that would permit them to live together in an orderly community.—
George G. Szpiro,
Big Think,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Congressman Shri Thanedar called on the 25th Amendment to be invoked, which would ensure an orderly transfer of power if the president is incapacitated.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prim. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
