1
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
2
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
That means the city relies primarily on property taxes to fund municipal services.
—
Lisa Mallozzi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026
Round 7, Jeadyn Lukus, CB Clemson The Bills need to configure their cornerback depth with players who are more capable of playing man coverage, as the previous regime favored a heavy zone scheme and scouted primarily for those skills.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Parrott said the library is primarily funded through private donations that are fundraised or granted through state programs like borrowIT.
—Sara Bedigian, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
The goal of daylight saving time is to ensure more daylight hours in a day for a number of reasons, but primarily to save energy.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Lisa Mallozzi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Feb. 2026
Round 7, Jeadyn Lukus, CB Clemson The Bills need to configure their cornerback depth with players who are more capable of playing man coverage, as the previous regime favored a heavy zone scheme and scouted primarily for those skills.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Parrott said the library is primarily funded through private donations that are fundraised or granted through state programs like borrowIT.
—Sara Bedigian, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2026
The goal of daylight saving time is to ensure more daylight hours in a day for a number of reasons, but primarily to save energy.
—Chris Sims, IndyStar, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primarily
Adverb
-
Groceries were originally subject to the full state sales tax.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Shooting stars was a regular feature from 2004 to 2015 and originally featured an NBA player, a WNBA player and a retired player on each team shooting from four locations.—
Steve Galluzzo,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Wednesday’s decision, based mainly on legal technicalities, notes that the company can propose a temporary increase for October 1 under its current investment plan.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
While the popularity of these app-blocking devices increases (Novelli said the company has sold more than 60,000), questions remain about their efficacy when the people who buy them are mainly discovering the devices through the internet—and talking about them on social media.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Home to 710 stores and vendors, mostly Somali retailers serving Somali patrons, the mall was plastered with anti-ICE posters due to daily raids, according to Sabri.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
What has happened is that purely social get-togethers over meals now mostly take place in restaurants, and the procedures of expensive restaurants have come to be considered correct formal practices.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
This list is intended chiefly to get the gears of your own moviegoing memories turning.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The Post’s book coverage—chiefly via the beloved Book World section—has long been a gold standard in the industry.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
4 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
More than 20 candidates, predominantly Republican, filed to run in the special election for the former representative's seat.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
When accepting his album of the year award Sunday night, Bad Bunny addressed the crowd predominantly in Spanish and spoke of the strugglesof the immigrant experience.—
Carlos De Loera,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The practice is dangerous and largely unregulated, with workers often paid the equivalent of about $18 to $24 for a 10-hour shift.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
He was largely considered to be one of the most clutch kickers of his generation.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The most common type of gallstone consists principally of cholesterol.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primarily. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
