prime 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of primenext
1
as in chief
highest in rank or authority the prime strategist in the senator's presidential campaign

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excellent
of the very best kind owns a thousand acres of prime farmland

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prime

2 of 3

noun

ˈprīm How to pronounce prime (audio)
1
as in bloom
a state or time of great activity, thriving, or achievement in the prime of her life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in best
individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class chose the prime of the litter of pups

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prime

3 of 3

verb

as in to ground

Related Words

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 prime
Adjective
The Unified Government and Eastside and its partners, the Arnold Development Group and Keystone Innovations, have hit an impasse over how much that prime real estate — which has been dormant since Indian Springs’ demolition — should sell for. — Sofi Zeman july 30, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 These kinds of meaty feature-length turns from Oscar winners used to be prime bait for Emmy voters, but now Field’s nom is more exception than rule. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026
Noun
This is intuitive, but Howmet is not on many people's radars (pun intended) as the larger primes. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 27 July 2026 William Byron is just 28 and entering what should be the prime of his career. — Greg Engle, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Verb
Our favorite finds include a silky pull-on pant, an easy T-shirt dress primed for travel days, and more with final discounts of up to 63 percent. — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 When push comes to shove, however, there can be multiple factors that can prime a film’s remake potential. — John Hopewell, Variety, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for prime
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prime
  1. chief
  2. excellent
  3. bloom
  4. best
  5. ground
  6. foremost
  7. great
  8. blooming
Adjective
  • The announcement comes as Polymarket and its chief rival, Kalshi, make daily headlines for contracts that invite users to wager on everything from sports to interest rate cuts to elections.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 29 July 2026
  • The uncertainty created by such lack of guidance has become one of several legitimate problems that needs resolution, said Troy Flint, chief communications officer for the California School Boards Assn.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of chief
Adjective
  • The neighborhood/area Just across the train tracks is Vesterbro with an excellent range of independent shops and restaurants, not least in Kødbyen, the Meat Packing district.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As for dining options, Cafe Genevieve serves an excellent breakfast and brunch, and Million Dollar Cowboy Bar draws crowds for a taste of Western-style eats like bison burgers and elk sliders.
    — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of excellent
Noun
  • Maintenance crews have since repeatedly battled with algae blooms that have turned the pool’s water green, with the landmark being drained at least three times by July 10.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The project to give the pool a facelift to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday began in April, but has been beset by difficulties after it became plagued by an algae bloom and the pool’s new blue lining began to peel.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of bloom
Noun
  • His hitting metrics are all career bests, and he’s headed for his fourth consecutive season of 20-plus homers.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Atwell, the 26-year-old five-year veteran, has modest career bests of 67 receptions (2023), 562 yards (2024), and three touchdowns (2023).
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026
Definition of best
Verb
  • Lowe grounded softly to second for a potential game-ending double play but beat the throw as De La Cruz scored easily.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Bieber reached for loafers and socks for a preppy spin, grounded by an oversized leather bomber—an easy outfit formula for daily rotation.
    — Minty Mellon, Vogue, 30 July 2026
Definition of ground
Adjective
  • Today, perhaps the foremost image of a moderate is that of a centrist on a left-right spectrum.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Briggs, the architect, built a reputation for bespoke luxury homes along the Orange County coast and was named among Architectural Digest’s 100 foremost architects in 1991, according to background materials from the listing team.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of foremost
Adjective
  • The other great piece of news is that, yes, this will get a localized release with multiple language support, something that the original PlayStation Portable version never had.
    — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Zachary Robert Stacer, 22, was arrested on July 30 and charged with two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, three counts of felonious assault and five counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer.
    — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of great
Noun
  • Cold Damage Pruning old wood hydrangeas at the wrong time can damage buds and reduce blooming.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 28 July 2026
  • Once blooms fade, seeds eventually begin to form, the plant becomes leggy, and blooming slows.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 July 2026
Definition of blooming

Browse Nearby Words

primary schools
prime
primed
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Cite this Entry

“Prime.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prime. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on prime

Nglish: Translation of prime for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prime

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