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 Health officials are continuing to search for the source of the outbreak, which has primarily affected the Carnegie Hill and Yorkville neighborhoods. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 19 July 2026 The airport is used primarily by private and corporate aircraft. — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 Brensley’s campaign tasked Bronske with collecting signatures primarily on the South Shore and Metro South areas, including Weymouth, Hanover, Braintree, Rockland and Easton. — Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026 Cardinals, wrens, mockingbirds, and bluebirds primarily want a safe place to drink and splash around to clean their feathers. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 18 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for primarily

Recent Examples of Synonyms for primarily

Adverb

Police detained Schmidt twice during the altercation, originally placing him into the police vehicle after the officer shot his black Labrador, according to eyewitness Paul Bates.

— Gabe White, Arkansas Online, 21 July 2026
The Space Force originally estimated the Lane 1 launch providers would compete for at least 30 task orders over a five-year period.

— Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026

Definition of originally

Adverb

Before that, much like Argentina, La Roja had relied on some late goals to get through the latter stages – mainly from Mikel Merino, who struck the winner in both the Round of 16 and quarterfinal after coming on as a late substitute.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
While the area was formerly covered by prehistoric lakes, today the water here mainly exists as seasonal wetlands, gurgling geysers, hot springs, and a hypersaline lake that’s saltier than the ocean.

— Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2026

Definition of mainly

Adverb

Hughes’ fall on this list mostly stems from major growth from others above him and the lack of term left on his deal.

— Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 22 July 2026
That case focused mostly on the details of the knife attack itself; the federal one delves more into questions of motive.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026

Definition of mostly

Adverb

The problem is Will Ferrell as Lonnie Hawkins, an utter miscalculation of characterization and performance chiefly responsible for turning what could be middling comedy into an unbearable slog.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 16 July 2026
Bouaddi was born into an aspirational family in Creil — a town of around 36,000 people in northern France, around an hour’s drive from Paris, and known chiefly as being where gangster and jailbreaker Redoine Faid is from.

— Tom Williams, New York Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of chiefly

Adverb

Once known predominantly for projecting educational installations at museums and aquariums, IMAX spent decades trying to break into the mainstream, though its limited network of theatres and analog-only format proved prohibitive for major studios.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
So have members of the predominantly Black church where her body was discovered May 8.

— Caitlin McGlade, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026

Definition of predominantly

Adverb

Their models still largely hold the lead in capabilities, as well as the hardware used to train and advance them.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Hilderbrand — who’s written more than 30 books, largely set in her hometown of Nantucket — says studios started calling after HBO’s adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies became a hit in 2017.

— Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026

Definition of largely

Adverb

Although some of these new institutions may adopt the name college, they won't be architected around classrooms and their business model won't be principally tuition-based.

— Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
The war within the Republican Party was not principally an ideological war, though.

— Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 July 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 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of primarily

adverb

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