primeval

adjective

prī-ˈmē-vəl How to pronounce primeval (audio)
Definition of primevalnext
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period primeval forests slowly disappearing as the climate changed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 primeval The fragrance that wafts from the dish when the lid is lifted heightens the anticipation, the nose being the first point of entry and the most primeval of our senses. — Literary Hub, 4 Feb. 2026 The landscape of Rapa Nui probably never incorporated the sort of primeval forest of palm trees imagined in popular accounts, Pitts writes, but was more mixed, and scrubbier, with no one species of charismatic megaflora dominating. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026 Astrophysicists now believe that this nebulous stuff is a stellar incubator; the primeval chaos from which star formation is presently underway. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026 Instead, the franchise has been retooled for this brutal and bleak moment, further weaponizing desperation at a time when competition already feels omnipresent and almost primeval. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 13 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for primeval
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primeval
  1. ancient
  2. primitive
  3. primal
  4. prehistoric
  5. primordial
  6. early
Adjective
  • There is also concrete poetry—writing arranged in images or geometric forms—a tradition that can be traced to ancient instances of shaped poetry.
    — Alec Mapes-Frances, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The Roman coin hoard is the latest in a series of ancient discoveries in Sweden.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of ancient
Adjective
  • For more experienced hikers seeking extremes, the Backcountry Trail is a rugged seven-mile trek with steep grades passing primitive campsites, perfect for spending the night underneath the stars.
    — Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The designers were also working with hardware that looks primitive by today’s standards.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of primitive
Adjective
  • In his stories, Poe dedicated himself to writing about the dark side of human experience — our most primal fears and most unspeakable secrets.
    — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Writing the book also led me to recognize that the loneliness epidemic has some primal roots.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of primal
Adjective
  • But tyrannosaurs have not thrived among these wet woodlands of prehistoric Utah just by bringing each other gifts.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Other witnesses reported smaller, hairy creatures, a prehistoric-looking bird and a worm allegedly measuring 8 feet long.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of prehistoric
Adjective
  • For the dodo, the researchers will first harvest primordial germ cells (PGCs)—nascent cells that give rise to eggs and sperm—from the nicobar pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
  • This would have been a primordial black hole (PBH), a hypothesized object formed in the universe’s earliest moments.
    — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of primordial
Adjective
  • From crisp cotton sheets to cozy comforters and decorative quilts, early holiday sales are already giving shoppers plenty of reasons to give their bedroom a refresh.
    — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The shooting took place early Monday morning at Moss Landing State Beach.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of early

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primes
primeval
priming
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Cite this Entry

“Primeval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primeval. Accessed 7 Nov. 2026.

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