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
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
as in to ground
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prime
George Avalos, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Opened in 2010, the steakhouse had become known for its upscale yet approachable atmosphere and its prime location near the Austin Convention Center and the city’s entertainment districts.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Greg Cote
january 26, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Their primes briefly overlapped, if only for a couple of years while James was transitioning out of his.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
These brief contrasts can prime the body and mind so the main effort feels less like a threat and more like progress.
—Dayanne S. Antonio, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prime
Adjective
The prime site, perched on one of the Bay Area’s most prominent commercial intersections, has been empty ever since.
—George Avalos, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Opened in 2010, the steakhouse had become known for its upscale yet approachable atmosphere and its prime location near the Austin Convention Center and the city’s entertainment districts.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
Why Ricky Williams quit in his prime to search for his soul.
—Greg Cote
january 26, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2026
Their primes briefly overlapped, if only for a couple of years while James was transitioning out of his.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
More intense rainfall events from storms of all kinds are becoming more likely as warming temperatures prime the atmosphere to hold more water vapor.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
These brief contrasts can prime the body and mind so the main effort feels less like a threat and more like progress.
—Dayanne S. Antonio, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prime
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prime
Adjective
-
This double standard exists in large part because, from a regulatory standpoint, pregnancy itself is considered a health risk, according to Logan Nickels, chief research officer at the Male Contraceptive Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing nonhormonal male birth control.—
Ana Castelain,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Bovino joined the Border Patrol in 1996 and was named chief patrol agent of the El Centro Sector of Southern California in 2020, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The German is an excellent all-round forward who excels in bringing the best out of the teammates around him.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
While not every product in the brand’s SOS collection includes hypochlorous acid (an excellent anti-acneic ingredient), the serum does.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Woody plants that bloom on old wood should not be cut back in the fall.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Once the old blooms are removed, place the plant in a warm, bright location and water it regularly throughout the spring and summer.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There were old ladies’ sequin dresses and their Sunday best.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Two editors selected it as the overall best.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
On Thwaites itself, part of the team will try today to drop a fiber-optic cable through a 3,200-foot borehole in the ice, near the glacier’s grounding line, where the ocean is eating away at it from below.—
Christian Elliott,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The retreat from clear and scientifically grounded guidelines will harm individuals’ health and our collective wellbeing.—
Paul Gilbert,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
There are plenty of great restaurants, but alongside them disappointments.—
Kate Krader,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Another 2022 study from Rutgers University, focused on COVID-19 news, found that greater daily exposure to news about the virus was linked to higher same-day and next-day worry about the pandemic as well as feelings of hopelessness and general worry.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Forcing dormancy for eight to 10 weeks in a cool, dry location prior to blooming is also essential.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Fertilizer These plants benefit from a gentle houseplant fertilizer during active growth or blooming.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But then, economic and social challenges shook Portugal and its political elite.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Turkey's experience demonstrated how concentrated economic relationships between business elites and political leadership complicate assessments of institutional independence—even when the underlying commercial logic proves sound.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prime.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prime. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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