1
as in rudimentary
belonging to or characteristic of an early level of skill or development
primitive wooden tools were used before the Iron Age
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
a primitive period in church history when members still lived in communes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
her taste in art was still primitive, but she knew schlock when she saw it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barbarian
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primitive
Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
That meant that play was a primitive process and most likely vital to survival.
—Big Think, 22 Oct. 2025
Quanta Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, humans have regressed into being primitives that the apes hunt for sport, or feed out of pity from beside their campfire.
—EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Adjective
Will there be future fairy tales about birds whose feathers glow in the dark nesting in the ruins of primitive power plants of past ages?
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
That meant that play was a primitive process and most likely vital to survival.
—Big Think, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
It can be used to achieve a lot of other cryptographic primitives.
—Quanta Magazine, 1 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, humans have regressed into being primitives that the apes hunt for sport, or feed out of pity from beside their campfire.
—EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primitive
Adjective
-
The concept is similar to the rare cases of humans who are born with rudimentary tails, a trait that was seen in primate ancestors over 25 million years ago, according to Brian Hall, research professor emeritus in evolutionary cell biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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A lot of what is unwieldy about Down Cemetery Road stems from the source novel, which predates the Slough House series and showcases a writer with an exceptional gift for dialogue and characterization but a more nascent sense of rudimentary storytelling.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Cylinder seals open a wide window not just into ancient Mesopotamian art and culture but also into the minds of individual Mesopotamians.—
Serdar Yalçin,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum is finally open The Grand Egyptian Museum, home to 100,000 ancient artifacts, has opened in Cairo more than 20 years after construction began.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But anyone imagining that this problem will be resolved by taking games beyond international borders is extremely naive.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
In contrast, the late-’90s and early-2000s pop culture era—glittery, naive, and commercially loud—feels like an antidote to endless doom-scrolling.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Gauls had been described as barbarians by Julius Caesar and Livy, but now had become these Ur people, far more ancient and civilized than their ancient Roman detractors.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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Bautista will have the plum role of the immortal barbarian known as The Kurgen, who has been killing other immortals across the centuries in order to absorb their essence.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Your skin prickles, adrenaline spikes — and that primal fight-or-flight instinct kicks in.—
Sarah Hutter,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Shai Fargian, corporate executive chef at Calle Sol, spins that take into something more primal.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While House Republicans can pass legislation with a simple majority vote, Senate Republicans cannot advance most matters without meeting a 60-vote threshold.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
-
But in stoppage time, Miami was gifted a third goal when Jordi Alba crossed from the left and keeper Willis, colliding with defender Walker Zimmerman, spilled the ball right to Messi, who had the simplest of tap-ins.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That savage is now incarcerated for impregnating his own underage daughter.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
25 Oct. 2025
-
And that friction — between soft and savage — is what keeps us going.—
Alma Rota,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In Scotland, archaeologists found evidence of a prehistoric village at a future golf course earlier this year.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Because the books cover the story of the Ozarks region from prehistoric times to the 21st century, readers are likely to find a little something about any part of regional history that interests them.—
Becca Martin-Brown,
Arkansas Online,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primitive. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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