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
Daniel Kendzior, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
The plaintiff’s testimony is at the heart of her $40 million lawsuit against former assistant principal Ebony Parker, who allegedly ignored several warnings about the boy who shot Zwerner.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2025
By focusing on the principal cost of tech debt and addressing the most critical areas first, organizations can effectively manage their tech debt and drive business growth.
—Daniel Kendzior, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Noun
First, categorize tech debt into principal, interest, liabilities and opportunity cost.
—Daniel Kendzior, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
The plaintiff’s testimony is at the heart of her $40 million lawsuit against former assistant principal Ebony Parker, who allegedly ignored several warnings about the boy who shot Zwerner.
—Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Elizabeth Ryan is principal designer of her eponymous design firm in Richardson, Texas.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2025
By focusing on the principal cost of tech debt and addressing the most critical areas first, organizations can effectively manage their tech debt and drive business growth.
—Daniel Kendzior, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principal
Noun
-
The photos showed the reality TV star sitting in an emergency room chair holding an ice pack to his face.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
-
On possession after possession, González picked up Brunson full court and tried his best to pester the Knicks star.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Cebu is also one the country’s main tourist centers.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Most of the money was poured into three main super PACs, both pro-Cuomo and anti-Mamdani.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
After all avenues have been exhausted for finding out who these people are, the chief medical examiner of Alexandroupoli calls the chief imam of Sidiro, which is a Muslim Greek village.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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Its chief investment vehicle is Humain, a homegrown company that is building out a full stack of data centers, cloud capabilities, large language models and applications.—
Tala Alrajjal,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Two guest bedrooms can be found downstairs, while four more upstairs bedrooms include a secluded primary retreat that comes with a fireplace, a dressing room, and dual baths.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
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This corner room offered the perfect view to keep watch over Main Street and the primary north-south international highway.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Oct. 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
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Taylor opted to go sans top beneath the jacket, heightening the commanding sensual style.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
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That confident tight-wire act, with its time shifts and various mini-characterizations, was a useful precedence for her here as the predominant presence in this three-performer, intermissionless piece.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
14 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 7 Nov. 2025.
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