as in star
the person who has the most important role in a play, movie, or TV show
my cousin is one of the principals in a new sitcom this fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
our principal reason for coming here today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chief
highest in rank or authority
the principal researcher in the company's chemical division
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of principal
Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 9 Nov. 2025
He’s listed as a principal, vice president and director on the firm’s website.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Nov. 2025
Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Suarez, the event’s principal moderator, inquired of Jeff Bezos, who spent some of his childhood in the area.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Noun
Elementary principals will communicate individual building adjustments.
—Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 9 Nov. 2025
He’s listed as a principal, vice president and director on the firm’s website.
—Austin Hornbostel, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Jennifer Fordham is the principal designer at Pembrook Interiors, based in Virginia.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Suarez, the event’s principal moderator, inquired of Jeff Bezos, who spent some of his childhood in the area.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principal
Noun
-
But the game did end with Vanderbilt safety CJ Heard showing blitz at the line of scrimmage, then bailing out to help Jordan Matthews double Auburn star receiver Cam Coleman in the end zone.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
But the very nature of the connection between stars and their audience is now evolving, according to the IMDb report.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But for much of the past two centuries, Port Renfrew’s main source of employment was not promoting trees but rather chopping them down—particularly, giant, old-growth trees that fetched the highest value.—
Brad Badelt,
Outside,
11 Nov. 2025
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Rachelle Salnave, a filmmaker in Haiti, sent me videos of a piece of the Route Nationale, the country’s main transportation artery, collapsing like a glacier into a roiling, swollen river.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The ship returned to PortMiami as scheduled Saturday morning, according to Carnival chief communications officer Chris Chiames.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Much like Blue Origin’s chief competitor, SpaceX — which has long been a dominant force in the commercial launch business — Blue Origin rockets are designed to be partially reused in order to drive down costs.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
This discount shall apply only to the primary residence of the user and shall not apply to separate irrigation meters.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Last season’s Most Improved Player was the primary defender on Dončić, who was held to 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field in 27 minutes.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Despite the massive buildout, Al Khateeb assured the crowd that protecting the natural environment remains a foremost concern of Saudi Arabia’s government.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The unscripted series pairs Snooki with Kevin Whitaker, one of Canada’s foremost psychic mediums.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The World Series continues with Game 6 as the Dodgers look to take a commanding 3-1 lead.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Taylor opted to go sans top beneath the jacket, heightening the commanding sensual style.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Crime and safety, particularly in Downtown, were the predominant issues in the race, especially after a string of high-profile incidents this summer and fall.—
Jordan Kellogg,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Despite the concerns around African democracy, Afrobarometer’s annual African Insights survey shows voting in elections remains the predominant form of political and civic engagement, with nearly three-quarters of respondents voting in their country’s elections last year.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This was the weekend when Liverpool finally won a league match, Arsenal continued in supreme form at the top, Wolves sacked Vitor Pereira and Chelsea earned their annual victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
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The supreme athleticism is still there.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principal. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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