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
Grande has notably made some departures from her primarily pink, white and pastel wardrobe pieces in recent days, going more Elphaba than Glinda with certain looks.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
Solomon stressed the solution to this monumental debt load does not lie primarily in tax hikes or new revenue streams.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
In contrast, Asian women (in the study, primarily of Chinese and Japanese descent) report the fewest hot flashes but are more likely to be bothered by somatic symptoms like joint pain, body aches and stiffness.
—Charlottefive Staff, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2025
Her work primarily focuses on monitoring the oil and gas industry, assessing its impacts and educating community members about production and regulation.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, AZCentral.com, 11 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025
Solomon stressed the solution to this monumental debt load does not lie primarily in tax hikes or new revenue streams.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2025
In contrast, Asian women (in the study, primarily of Chinese and Japanese descent) report the fewest hot flashes but are more likely to be bothered by somatic symptoms like joint pain, body aches and stiffness.
—Charlottefive Staff, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2025
Her work primarily focuses on monitoring the oil and gas industry, assessing its impacts and educating community members about production and regulation.
—Arlyssa D. Becenti, AZCentral.com, 11 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 12 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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