1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primary concern for many house hunters is the asking price
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in chief
highest in rank or authority
the movie's primary screenwriter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of primary
Minor’s primary role could come on special teams, where the Patriots are still trying to identify a gunner to play opposite Brenden Schooler on the punt team.
—
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
The nearly 3,000-square-foot main house offers three bedrooms, including two primary suites, and four bathrooms.
—John Turton, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025
From a psychological perspective, the failure to launch is often a result of three primary (and several circumstantial) obstacles.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Scientists also pointed out that the complexity of the ITER tokamak brings with it many variables that had not been considered of primary importance until now, such as the magnetic field or high temperature in the detector region.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primary
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 13 Sep. 2025
The nearly 3,000-square-foot main house offers three bedrooms, including two primary suites, and four bathrooms.
—John Turton, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025
From a psychological perspective, the failure to launch is often a result of three primary (and several circumstantial) obstacles.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Scientists also pointed out that the complexity of the ITER tokamak brings with it many variables that had not been considered of primary importance until now, such as the magnetic field or high temperature in the detector region.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primary
Adjective
-
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), which has organized dozens of boats to sail to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid, said that one of its main vessels was targeted in a drone strike just after midnight local time on Tuesday while docked near the Tunisian capital.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Tribhuvan International Airport, the country's main international airport, was also shut down due to smoke in the area.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Kraft caught the ball just 5 yards downfield and safety Will Harris had a chance to make an immediate tackle.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
His team have the immediate fixtures to succeed, facing Sunderland and West Ham next.—
Holly Shand,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Professionally, Austin remains close to the game as the chief operating officer of sports analytics company Pro Football Focus.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent at The New York Times, said last night.—
The Editors,
The Atlantic,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But officials expressed caution due to the preliminary nature of the investigation.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Whether the preliminary August reading of an anemic 22,000 jobs added to the economy holds true remains to be seen.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The high-energy track, which blends old school hip-hop vibes with rock elements, marks the first time a virtual group has ever produced a song and direct choreography for an audition survival series.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Hawaii's main islands have seen occasional direct landfalls from hurricanes and tropical storms over the years, including along some of its western islands.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In 1951, Husseini’s associates murdered one of his foremost rivals, King Abdullah of Jordan.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Ryan Hohman,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Champions Trophy exit was equally passive after a dreadful showing in the preparatory bilateral series against India.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Midday Friday, the military changed course, marking the latest escalation after weeks of preparatory strikes in some of the city’s neighborhoods and calling up tens of thousands of reservists.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Advertisement Lee grew up near Manchester’s Christ Church of the Church of England, but struggled to understand their beliefs, never fitting in with the predominant religion.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Should contempt become the predominant way that two partners communicate with one another, one or both will eventually reach a breaking point.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primary. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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