PRIMARILY Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

primarily

adverb

prī-ˈmer-ə-lē

Definition of primarily

as in originally

in the beginning the university was primarily an agricultural college when it was founded over two centuries ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in mainly

for the most part ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes

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 primarily The exemption is designed to apply to cars used primarily in shows, parades, charitable functions and historical exhibitions. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026 Prisoner’s dilemma applied to AI training Let’s consider this exercise in the context of the global AI race, primarily being fought between the United States and China. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026 Mass spectrometry primarily reveals the molecular formulas present, and different molecular structures can share the same formula. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026 Tillmon spent the first three years of his college career in Vermillion at the University of South Dakota, primarily playing as a free safety as the Coyotes advanced to the quarterfinals or further in the FCS playoffs all three seasons. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for primarily

Recent Examples of Synonyms for primarily

Adverb

Backstory This historic property was originally a private homestead that transitioned into a store in the late 1700s and finally turned into a guest house in the 20th century.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Sep. 2026
The news organizations originally requested the full consultant’s report, known as an Affiliated Fee Analysis, from OIR in February of this year, and made a broader request to the Florida Senate for legislative emails in April.

— Skyler Swisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of originally

Adverb

His reliance on the cane has slowed him down, so Crouch has shifted roles, from field hand to recruiter, operating mainly as the guy behind the keyboard, lining up volunteers to plant, scout, harvest and build the next nursery.

— Jessie Schiewe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Potting soils have not contained soil from the ground for years, and have been mainly combinations of peat moss, perlite and vermiculite.

— Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of mainly

Adverb

The rest of the women have pretty much accepted Vicki’s temperament by now and mostly operate around her, enjoying the refreshing Miami energy after the bumpiness of the previous parties.

— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
The film’s cast is mostly made up of tribal non-actors, but Anghlong Konyak is its captivating center, as a man whose stubbornness against change sits alongside a lingering grief over his fading way of life.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of mostly

Adverb

Dostoyevsky’s sniveling devil comes closest to portraying the man chiefly responsible for organizing the Final Solution.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
Many of these business owners are driven chiefly by a desire to be their own bosses rather than to become rich, Zwick said.

— Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of chiefly

Adverb

In 2020, researchers described nearly 1,000 independent horizontal transfer events in 307 vertebrate genomes, predominantly in fish.

— Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Cousins then directed a three-play, 43-second drive that ended with White’s second TD catch and a 24-14 lead in front of a raucous, predominantly Raiders-supporting crowd at SoFi Stadium.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of predominantly

Adverb

She’s haunted by her divorce from Donn, and her greatest fear is being alone, which is becoming more and more of a real possibility, especially since her family has largely moved away.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Kai-Fu Lee’s AI Superpowers, an influential book published in 2018, largely predicted the current tech battle between the US and China.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of largely

Adverb

Federal regulators already treat it differently from many other digital assets, and the legislation was principally intended to create a broader framework governing how cryptocurrencies are issued, sold and regulated.

— Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Asking an 18- or 21-year-old athlete to sacrifice some portion of a present opportunity for an uncertain benefit that may principally accrue to someone else five or 10 years in the future is an inherently difficult organizing proposition.

— Chris Corr, Sportico.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of principally

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primal

primarily

primary

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“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primarily. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of primarily

adverb

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