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
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Recent Examples of principal
Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Logan first learned about TKS from an assistant principal at his school.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 10 July 2025
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 8 July 2025
The principal residence boasts 360-degree views of the mountains and ocean.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Noun
The profoundly positive kicker: At maturity, the investor would make a choice—get the principal back in dollars or in gold.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Logan first learned about TKS from an assistant principal at his school.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 10 July 2025
Adjective
The film is in pre-production, with principal photography planned for this fall in Texas and New Mexico.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 8 July 2025
The principal residence boasts 360-degree views of the mountains and ocean.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principal
Noun
-
In the second match of the semifinals, Sinner will face No. 6 Novak Djokovic, in a contest between one of tennis’ newer stars with a likely dominant career ahead, and one who is among the greatest ever to play but is now age 38.—
Jess Bryant,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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The pop star, 31, has released his seventh studio album, Swag, his first since 2021's Justice, with the album arriving on the heels of Bieber's hyperactivity on social media and divorce rumors surrounding him and his wife, Hailey Bieber.—
Mekishana Pierre,
EW.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The tournament grounds feature three main retail sites: the Centre Court Shop, the No. 1 Court Shop and the Museum Shop, along with five express shops and an additional nine kiosks.—
Tim Newcomb,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
While your house's main job is to be a comfortable spot to land after a long day, there are still plenty of decorative touches throughout the home, maybe some inspired by Hallie's California-meets-western style.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
One of the chief goals of the community survey is to achieve representative samples from all areas of the city, so library leadership can better understand the specific needs of the people of the city.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
-
The drama began on Wednesday when a jumbotron at a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, captured Byron hugging Cabot, Astronomer's chief people officer, from behind.—
Hannah Parry
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
About one-third of American workers now earn income from a source other than a traditional nine-to-five job, whether this is their primary occupation or a side hustle.—
Liya Palagashvili,
National Review,
11 July 2025
-
Fortunately, the various streaming platforms that ride sidecar with the primary ratings engine of TV are recapturing a healthy percentage of the younger crowd who represent the future of sports consumption.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
First launched in 1985, FIBO has become one of the earth’s foremost fitness and wellness-focused trade shows, with roughly 130,000 participants set to convene in Cologne, Germany in April 2026.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Ziegler, one of the world’s foremost experts on the history and law of reproductive rights in the U.S., draws on decades of scholarship.—
David L. Coddon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Tigers have been the surprise team in baseball this season and currently have a commanding lead in the AL Central.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
-
Trump’s criticism came after Mamdani, 33, took a commanding lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday’s primary race.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
There's near universal agreement that pay is a predominant factor in attracting and retaining teachers ― either to other schools or to other professions.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
-
But this is not the predominant architectural style found in all of Cincinnati's neighborhoods, explained Cincinnati Preservation Association executive director Beth Johnson, a working group member.—
Sydney Franklin,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
This picture shows a billboard bearing the portrait of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a quote reads in Persian 'Sing Oh Iran' at the Enqelab Square in Tehran on July, 9, 2025.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
There has only been one previous time when Iran went through a process of naming a new supreme leader — in 1989, when Khamenei was chosen to succeed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the towering figurehead behind the 1979 Islamic revolution.—
Jackie Northam,
NPR,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principal. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.
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