1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of primal
Shai Fargian, corporate executive chef at Calle Sol, spins that take into something more primal.
—
Timothy Depeugh, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
The fear of being scammed is a primal emotion, as fundamental as the need for love, uniting humans across time and borders.
—Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
But Pugh’s stroke of genius is putting Eileen not in some sort of mannish suit but in a bombshell dress that highlights her curves like a primal goddess.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
The book is about primal insecurities and relatable fears, explored through the lens of classic horror tropes.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Timothy Depeugh, Charlotte Observer, 30 Oct. 2025
The fear of being scammed is a primal emotion, as fundamental as the need for love, uniting humans across time and borders.
—Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025
But Pugh’s stroke of genius is putting Eileen not in some sort of mannish suit but in a bombshell dress that highlights her curves like a primal goddess.
—Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 23 Oct. 2025
The book is about primal insecurities and relatable fears, explored through the lens of classic horror tropes.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal
Adjective
-
But for much of the past two centuries, Port Renfrew’s main source of employment was not promoting trees but rather chopping them down—particularly, giant, old-growth trees that fetched the highest value.—
Brad Badelt,
Outside,
11 Nov. 2025
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Rachelle Salnave, a filmmaker in Haiti, sent me videos of a piece of the Route Nationale, the country’s main transportation artery, collapsing like a glacier into a roiling, swollen river.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
However, Thailand does not recognize the ICJ’s jurisdiction and claims that some areas along the border were never fully demarcated, including the sites of several ancient temples.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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Its Mars-like terrain has doubled for alien and ancient worlds in major international films, and shooting permits are easily obtained with no location fees.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
If successful, this productive force— supposed to be restorative, in at least some visions—would grow up in symbiosis with primitive fossil capital.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
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These samples provide insights into primitive carbonaceous material, the water, and the organic content of early solar system bodies.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This discount shall apply only to the primary residence of the user and shall not apply to separate irrigation meters.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Last season’s Most Improved Player was the primary defender on Dončić, who was held to 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field in 27 minutes.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Filled with unearthly landscapes, primeval forests, and twilight beaches, Anemone’s ornate visual design seems to underscore its characters’ emotional suffocation.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 Sep. 2025
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Aside from its extraordinary size, Moses marvels at the primeval nature of the Lucara diamond.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This ancient traveler from beyond our solar system is offering scientists a rare glimpse into primordial cosmic material.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Meanwhile inflation would also have magnified tiny random fluctuations in the early universe, creating density variations in the primordial plasma.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Crime and safety, particularly in Downtown, were the predominant issues in the race, especially after a string of high-profile incidents this summer and fall.—
Jordan Kellogg,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Nov. 2025
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Despite the concerns around African democracy, Afrobarometer’s annual African Insights survey shows voting in elections remains the predominant form of political and civic engagement, with nearly three-quarters of respondents voting in their country’s elections last year.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The method can provide aerodynamic drag data more efficiently during the early stages of aircraft design.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Millennials, typically defined as individuals born between the early 1980s and the mid-1990s, are now at a point in their lives where their generational nostalgia is front and center.—
Saba Hamedy,
NBC news,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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