as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
all life on Earth supposedly came from a primordial ooze in existence many millions of years ago
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Recent Examples of primordial
That question is a primordial, primitive question that animates many of us our whole lives without realizing it.
—
Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2026
There’s always been something primordial about the show’s appeal.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Testing an idea older than the discovery itself To explore this mystery, the researchers turned to an idea proposed decades ago but never confirmed—primordial black holes.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Jan. 2026
Another study, published in March, found that microlightning in primordial mist may have sparked the chemical formation of the building blocks of life more than 3 billion years ago.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2026
There’s always been something primordial about the show’s appeal.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Testing an idea older than the discovery itself To explore this mystery, the researchers turned to an idea proposed decades ago but never confirmed—primordial black holes.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Jan. 2026
Another study, published in March, found that microlightning in primordial mist may have sparked the chemical formation of the building blocks of life more than 3 billion years ago.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primordial
Adjective
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On Monday, hundreds of millions of viewers witnessed an unprecedented fusion of ancient tradition and cutting-edge robotics at the 2026 China Media Group Spring Festival Gala.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
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Scientists believe the geology of Mars may hold valuable clues about past ancient life, and so the robotic vehicles, controlled remotely from Earth, have slowly navigated the rocky terrain to scoop up and collect intriguing samples.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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And director Hammond doesn’t let the primitive miniseries technology defeat him.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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Their design was unpolished, even primitive, seemingly to convey a sense of slapdash amateurishness.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Yet you’re still left adrift — not unlike Leslie, whose primal attachment to Martin is at once a comfort and a source of existential conflict.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
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Presley comes across as the most generous of performers, holding nothing back in primal-energy concerts that leave him drenched in sweat.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This 50-square-mile crescent in the Pacific has the southernmost coral reef in the world and a wealth of wilderness walks that include everything from primeval banyan forests to endangered ground-dwelling birds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Dec. 2025
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Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California Time slows to a primeval pace in the sequoia groves that make up Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where arboreal giants have watched the seasons come and go for more than 2,000 years.—
Sarah L. Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The new research focused on three Prototaxites fossils unearthed in the Rhynie chert, a prehistoric land ecosystem near Aberdeen, Scotland.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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With previous showstoppers such as The Blooming of the Mosasaurs—a bold blue ensemble inspired by a prehistoric marine reptile whose fossils have been discovered in Angola, Africa, as well as in Louisiana—Zulu plans every suit to be his best one yet.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Early on in cosmic history, the Universe was composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, as no substantial quantities of heavier elements were formed during the early stages of the hot Big Bang.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
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And since leaving prison in early January, the preacher has wasted no time in spreading his gospel in a tranche of new songs published on his social media platforms.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Primordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primordial. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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