1
2
as in immediate
done or working without something else coming in between a crop failure that was the primary cause of the famine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in preliminary
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows a few minutes of primary instruction in the use of our diving gear before we actually got into the water

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 primary The roomy primary compartment offers ample space for your phone, wallet, and other sightseeing essentials, while a subtle pocket at the back of the bag is a safe place to store your passport during travel days. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025 The roomy primary suite has a fireplace and a massive bathroom with terrazzo-like floors. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025 The monitor’s primary responsibility will be to conduct compliance assessments, a process involving five layers of review to evaluate how effectively Louisville Metro Police follows each part of the plan. Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Sep. 2025 During an interview with Axios Wednesday, the Ukrainian leader also maintained his primary focus remains achieving peace rather than securing another term. Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for primary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primary
Adjective
  • Greek Yogurt Has More Protein If your main goal is to include more protein in your diet, consider breakfasts featuring Greek yogurt.
    Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 30 Sep. 2025
  • His main goal behind joining Interesting Engineering is to learn more about how the recent technological advancements are helping human beings on both societal and individual levels in their daily lives.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • WellSpace has an immediate care program that can offer brief visits for people who must be seen right away, but full-service visits with providers may begin to take longer.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
  • This outcome has immediate repercussions.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at the real estate company Redfin, got wind of the growing interest in co-buying through stories from the company's agents.
    Rhaina Cohen, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Notably, Americans’ stock ownership has surpassed that of the late 1990s, just before dot-com bubble burst, said John Higgins, chief markets economist at the consultancy Capital Economics.
    John Towfighi, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In its preliminary report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed the airport had experienced over 15,000 near misses between October 2021 and December 2024 involving helicopters and commercial airplanes.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
  • However, preliminary plans included in meeting packet include three buildings, a power station, several stormwater retention ponds and transmission line corridors.
    Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • By sidestepping the fragile transfer process and enabling direct fabrication on liquid, Xu’s method could transform how scientists design lightweight, adaptable technologies across multiple fields.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Sandurz, an underling of Dark Helmet’s, is not a direct parody of any Star Wars character but plays a part similar to that of General Veers or Admiral Piett in the original series.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • On August 31, the International Association of Genocide Scholars—the foremost academic body in the field—voted to affirm that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
    Faisal Kutty, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
  • One of the foremost images of American exceptionalism is that of the strong frontier woman taming the elements alongside her husband while also keeping the hearth burning and the bellies full.
    Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • These preparatory movements then become habits that are carried out in a weaker form even when the action is suppressed.
    Big Think, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Ursuline Academy advertises itself as an all-girls Catholic college preparatory high school founded in 1896.
    Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Essentially, Demna’s touch is so predominant in this first drop, not only in the styling, attitudes but also with the different personas depicted in each picture.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
  • This state of matter is predominant in the universe.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Primary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primary. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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