primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē 
also prə-,
chiefly British ˈprī-mə-rə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
… has now become primarily a residential town …—
S. P. B. Mais
S. P. B. Mais2
: in the first place : originally
Examples of primarily in a Sentence
the university was primarily an agricultural college when it was founded over two centuries ago
ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes
Recent Examples on the Web
So, the Carter and Alexander deals once again called DeJean’s status into question — especially since Carter is primarily a slot corner.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
The studio will operate primarily on a membership basis with a limited number of drop-in classes available.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
The hardy pupfish are capable of surviving harsh temperatures and severe water conditions that would kill most other fish species, but their population has declined primarily due to habitat loss.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
The aircraft is primarily flown by FedEx Express, Lufthansa Cargo and UPS Airlines for cargo.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
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Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
The studio will operate primarily on a membership basis with a limited number of drop-in classes available.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2025
The hardy pupfish are capable of surviving harsh temperatures and severe water conditions that would kill most other fish species, but their population has declined primarily due to habitat loss.
—Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
The aircraft is primarily flown by FedEx Express, Lufthansa Cargo and UPS Airlines for cargo.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
2
: in the first place : originally
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