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
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
When a strange man lurks around the school asking supposedly innocent questions and the principal receives a severed human finger in the mail, the community is in an uproar.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026
Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The operators in the Denver-Julesburg Basin have largely figured out how to work in Colorado’s regulatory environment, said Ryan Hill, principal analyst at Enverus, an energy analytics and data company.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for principal
Noun
The inciting incident for the new story comes after the principal of the high school receives a severed human finger in the mail, sending the parents into an uproar.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
When a strange man lurks around the school asking supposedly innocent questions and the principal receives a severed human finger in the mail, the community is in an uproar.
—Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
From selecting and renewing school principal contracts to approving budgetary resources and academic plans, members of local school councils play an important role in the country’s fourth-largest public school district.
—Hope Moses, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The operators in the Denver-Julesburg Basin have largely figured out how to work in Colorado’s regulatory environment, said Ryan Hill, principal analyst at Enverus, an energy analytics and data company.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for principal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principal
Noun
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Republicans will be looking to help Collins in an election year, Shaheen is making a big legacy play in her last year in office, Warnock is a rising Democratic star, and Kennedy brings some heft from the right to the table.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
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By the nineteen-eighties, she was basically finished as a movie star.—
Matt Weinstock,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Iranian strikes in Israel came after Tehran's main nuclear enrichment site at Natanz was hit earlier in the day.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 Mar. 2026
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Manchester City Liverpool fans have mostly sided with their main title rival of the past decade, with over 70 per cent wanting City to win the league.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kristin Lewis, the chief product officer of Aura, said resources like their app can help parents protect their children from online threats.—
Sooji Nam,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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On deck to present was PMB Capital partner Taylor Baird and Edged Data Centers chief investment officer John Callahan, along with representatives from the city of Fort Worth.—
Emily Holshouser,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The primary retreat anchors dual bathrooms, a private salon and an oversized dressing room.—
Sandra Barrera,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
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But the May 5 Democratic primary election, which pits a progressive newcomer and a longtime political gadfly against an incumbent with strong ties to Indy Democrats, could act as a proxy for voters' feelings about the party establishment.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The meeting has been positioned as a critical opportunity for both sides to reset the relationship between the world’s two foremost economic and military powers.—
Sylvie Zhuang,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
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When unfunded entitlements in Social Security, Medicare, and other long-term obligations are factored in, the true fiscal gap approaches $100 trillion — a figure consistent with analysis from Penn Wharton Budget Model director Kent Smetters, one of America’s foremost fiscal economists.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The play subverts itself, never allowing an audience to gain a commanding foothill, even at the end when (suffice it to say) the watchers become the watched.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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At 132 feet, the 40P is larger and more commanding, offering additional space and slightly flashier features.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Television continues to be the predominant medium in India, reaching approximately 745 million individuals weekly.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Dark green is the predominant color in this manicure even though a black shade serves as the base.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In total, three Israeli soldiers have been killed in fighting in south Lebanon since Hezbollah drew the country into war by launching rocket attacks against Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Iran has so far shown no sign of capitulating to the American-Israeli assault, despite the killings of its supreme leader and other senior officials.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principal. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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