1
as in derivative
taken or created from something original or basic
history textbooks are secondary sources for historical information and do not represent original research
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
of little or less value or merit
we need to focus on getting the groceries bought and the rent paid—everything else is secondary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dependent
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of secondary
Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2025
Signs With Steelers Last season, the defensive secondary was a major issue.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Larry Holder, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Always proud of his fastball-slider combo, Rodón previously said that he’s become less stubborn about sticking to his bread and butter as his secondary stuff has improved.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for secondary
Adjective
He’s shown a healthy balance of emphasis on his defensive fronts and his secondaries in his time calling defenses, and the Cowboys need to plug holes in each.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2025
Signs With Steelers Last season, the defensive secondary was a major issue.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
Noun
All that said, tennis is one of the few sports or genres that’s been down from one year ago, with total sales on the secondary market down 5.11 percent.
—Larry Holder, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Always proud of his fastball-slider combo, Rodón previously said that he’s become less stubborn about sticking to his bread and butter as his secondary stuff has improved.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for secondary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secondary
Adjective
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Creativity remains essential because AI is ultimately derivative.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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Some of its scenes are derivative and its secondary characters are under-developed.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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The club insisted Isak was left behind because of a minor thigh problem but The Athletic reported on Thursday sources, speaking anonymously as they were not authorised to do so publicly, indicated the forward favoured being omitted amid his uncertain future.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
26 July 2025
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More Songs is, in effect, Eno’s debut as a capital-P producer, notwithstanding some minor early efforts and, of course, David Bowie’s landmark sessions for Low and Heroes.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
26 July 2025
Noun
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Taylor initially applied for Medicaid in May 2019 under the alias Candace Sailor, listing a bi-weekly income of $1,900 and no dependents, authorities said.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
30 July 2025
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Crucially, spouses and dependents receive immediate work permits, supporting household stability and integration.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
Adjective
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Instead of allowing senior citizens and disabled first-responders choose the plan that was right for them — and the vast majority have chosen traditional Medicare — de Blasio forced every one of them into an inferior Medicare Advantage plan run by a for-profit insurance company.—
Marianne Pizzitola,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
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The bolder value vision is in using new AI capabilities to solve long-standing inefficiencies or problems that may have been targeted before, albeit with inferior technology.—
Beena Ammanath,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Former Pflugerville Police Chief Jason O’Malley pointed a gun at a subordinate inside a police building this year, according to a third-party investigation that spurred O'Malley and two commanders to exit the force.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
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Why this is happening is clear from a radio intercept about a similar incident, shared with CNN, in which a Russian commander can clearly be heard ordering a subordinate be tied up in this way as punishment for desertion.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Noun
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The 6-foot-3, 310-pound redshirt junior made a dozen starts from there.—
Oliver Thomas,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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The trio of Cincinnati transfer Tony Johnson, true freshman Malachi Toney and junior Ray Ray Joseph are competing to be UM’s primary slot receiver but Johnson and Toney could also get reps on the outside.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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She's known in the sport around the state as Big D — and for her mean two-handed backhand.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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One is a mysterious young woman with some mean kung fu skills who has just arrived from China in the Italian capital in search of her missing sister; the other is the son of an indebted local restaurant owner who has disappeared with his lover.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
23 July 2025
Noun
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The case, which has remained unsolved for decades, is the subject of a new HBO documentary, The Yogurt Shop Murders, directed by Margaret Brown.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
4 Aug. 2025
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Our kids deserve better than being the subjects of a surveillance experiment that will leave them a world on fire.—
Liat Olenick,
New York Daily News,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Secondary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secondary. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
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