as in chiefly
for the most part
the tourists were principally concerned with the quantity of the food, and only secondarily with the quality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of principally
These are not exclusive to Helmand Province but principally focused on that province.
—
Josh Meyer, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The most common type of gallstone consists principally of cholesterol.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
This will require data-sharing from other city agencies, principally NYPD.
—Daniela Gilbert, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
Of course, bringing the Robertson story to life through that brilliant and vivid sound and music, but principally through incredibly in-depth character interviews.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Outside, 28 Dec. 2025
Josh Meyer, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The most common type of gallstone consists principally of cholesterol.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
This will require data-sharing from other city agencies, principally NYPD.
—Daniela Gilbert, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2026
Of course, bringing the Robertson story to life through that brilliant and vivid sound and music, but principally through incredibly in-depth character interviews.
—Kathleen Rellihan, Outside, 28 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principally
Adverb
-
Matt McClain, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said the United States looks to its own oil production and chiefly imports from Canada and Mexico.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The group further elucidated that the program should chiefly prioritize reuse and repair, with retail and community-based organizations responsible for promoting and providing visibility for repair services.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
2 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
During the day, the multi-tiered outdoor pool area is perfect for a rosé on your lounge chair or in a private cabana, along with or a snack from pool bar Azure’s (mainly) healthy menu of market veggie crudité, yellowtail crudo, and salmon poke.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
-
According to Lupo, Boise’s score for quality of education and health mainly suffered due to the Idaho capital’s graduation rates.—
Hali Smith
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Pete is primarily made of milk chocolate, with a white chocolate stomach and ears.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Israel also pressed on with near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying that Hezbollah has been trying to rebuild its positions there, killing nearly 400 people while the ceasefire was in place.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Around practically all galaxies are collections of mostly ancient stars known as globular clusters.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Luneberg lens design Autonomous vehicle safety has mostly focused on onboard tech, but true reliability may require upgrading the roads themselves.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
State transportation officials largely rehashed old information during a presentation to Charlotte City Council’s transportation committee Thursday.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Perched between China and India, the country of 30 million people has been plagued for decades by political instability, crippling a largely agrarian economy and worsening unemployment – structural issues compounded by rampant corruption.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The order came after airstrikes overnight on the predominantly Christian southeastern suburb of Hazmieh that struck a hotel.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Handheld metal detectors often struggle in mineral-rich soils and have difficulty reliably detecting low-metal or predominantly plastic mines.—
Sagar Lekhak,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principally. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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