PRIMAL Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

primal

adjective

ˈprī-məl

Definition of primal

as in main

coming before all others in importance the primal theme of the essay is toleration of religious diversity

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ancient

relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period there was a period of primal idealism after the founding of the republic and before the rise of partisan politics

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 primal The prices, the vast distances fans have to cover, the hijacking of the tournament by malign political forces, the environmental damage that all of this travel is causing… there is plenty to take the edge off the primal joy that the football has given us. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 23 June 2026 One of our primal needs as human beings is to feel that love and positive energy, to be loved. — Holly Gleason, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026 Yet, there is little place for that primal urge in the modern world. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 17 June 2026 The question, of course, is what we are supposed to do with these bourgeois jeremiads against bourgeois civilization, beyond enjoying them as high-end primal-scream therapy. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for primal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal

Adjective

Of the 33 schools awarded grants, 19 schools opted for main entrance improvements while 14 chose to modernize their check-in and visitor badging systems.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
India’s main stock index last month outperformed other emerging markets by the most since November, and foreign outflows hit a four-month low.

— J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of main

Adjective

That verdant vista of a piece of ancient, intricate architecture centered me in storied Osaka and proved a delightfully consistent through line for my stay.

— Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
This phenomenon of gravitational lensing has been used to great effect to study ancient galaxies that would usually be too distant and faint to see when they are gravitationally lensed by foreground galaxy clusters.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of ancient

Adjective

The former second-round pick is suddenly one of the Lakers’ primary summer league players and hopes to use the experience as an important stepping stone, building up his game while also establishing a leadership voice.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Both the primary and extension drive use the standard 1/4-inch hex specification, which, according to the creators, will cover over 95% of random everyday tasks – from bicycle maintenance to small home repairs and furniture assembly.

— Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 6 July 2026

Definition of primary

Adjective

Then, their caregiver responds by handing the package to the child to feel, saying the name of the food out loud, or another response that serves as a kind of primitive conversation.

— Miranda Rake, Parents, 9 July 2026
The type of camping (primitive versus RV-permitted), facilities, seasonal openings, and the number of sites available vary by campground.

— Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 5 July 2026

Definition of primitive

Adjective

Indigenous tzalam wood, leather, and polished lava stone are the predominant materials; earth tones and clean lines are the prevailing aesthetics.

— Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
The name of the predominant flavor must appear as part of the product name.

— Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of predominant

Adjective

This 50-square-mile crescent in the Pacific has the southernmost coral reef in the world and a wealth of wilderness walks that include everything from primeval banyan forests to endangered ground-dwelling birds.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2025
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California Time slows to a primeval pace in the sequoia groves that make up Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where arboreal giants have watched the seasons come and go for more than 2,000 years.

— Sarah L. Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Dec. 2025

Definition of primeval

Adjective

Then Ryan played his part in achieving those goals Sunday, posting a dominant performance in New York.

— Dan Hayes, New York Times, 6 July 2026
The Angels dropped their fifth straight and 11th in 17 games, while Gray’s six-game run of dominant quality starts continues despite an All-Star snub.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of dominant

Adjective

Earth-impacting shrapnel from those primordial upheavals may have helped seed our planet with the precursors for life, delivering water and organic compounds from the dark, icy depths of the outer solar system.

— Lee Billings, Scientific American, 18 June 2026
At a time when the Earth was bare, when there were no vertebrates, no trees, no leaves, no flowering plants, and no plants with seeds, millipedes were feeding on decaying mosses, decomposed slime, and primordial gunk.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026

Definition of primordial

Browse Nearby Words

prima facie

primal

primarily

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of primal

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

yaw

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes