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
They were primarily created for the domestic Korean market.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
The performance, primarily in Spanish, was a celebration a celebration of Puerto Rican and Latin American culture.
—James Powel, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
Celebrated by over 2 billion people — primarily in East and Southeast Asian cultures — Lunar New Year focuses on family reunions, honoring ancestors and welcoming good fortune and prosperity into the coming year.
—Ashley Opina, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Butler’s ouster wasn’t primarily a result of Hegseth’s rivalry with Driscoll, according to people familiar with the situation.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
The performance, primarily in Spanish, was a celebration a celebration of Puerto Rican and Latin American culture.
—James Powel, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
Celebrated by over 2 billion people — primarily in East and Southeast Asian cultures — Lunar New Year focuses on family reunions, honoring ancestors and welcoming good fortune and prosperity into the coming year.
—Ashley Opina, Twin Cities, 18 Feb. 2026
Butler’s ouster wasn’t primarily a result of Hegseth’s rivalry with Driscoll, according to people familiar with the situation.
—Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
