1
2
as in immediate
done or working without something else coming in between a crop failure that was the primary cause of the famine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
4
as in preliminary
coming before the main part or item usually to introduce or prepare for what follows a few minutes of primary instruction in the use of our diving gear before we actually got into the water

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of primary Tuesday, four of Boston’s five homers came against Francis’ two primary offerings. Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 If lifestyle changes and home remedies haven't helped, consult your primary healthcare provider. Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 30 Apr. 2025 Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging. Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 30 Apr. 2025 Lawmakers passed a new law this year that will make firing squads the state's primary method of execution, starting next year. CBS News, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for primary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primary
Adjective
  • Today, the city’s main protection against high tides is the MOSE set of flood barriers that rises from the seabed to cut off the lagoon from the Adriatic during exceptionally high tides.
    Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
  • This means cruise visitors will need to rely on shuttle buses, taxis, or sightseeing tours to reach the city’s main attractions.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • Far from being a costly premium, waterless technologies like CO₂ dyeing deliver immediate, measurable operational value.
    Ken Katz, Sourcing Journal, 5 May 2025
  • So, the immediate impact would be fairly significant.
    CBS News, CBS News, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • Originally from France, Simo was among the highest-ranking female executives at Facebook, after then-COO Sheryl Sandberg and Marne Levine, who was chief business officer.
    Ari Levy, CNBC, 8 May 2025
  • That’s because walking, like other forms of exercise, triggers the release of dopamine and other feel-good chemicals in the brain, according to University of Miami psychiatrist Dr. Dante Durand, also chief medical officer at Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital in Miami.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Earlier this month, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction to block DOGE from accessing sensitive personal information held by the SSA.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
  • In an ad hoc statement on April 9, the company recognized that the preliminary first-quarter result deviated significantly from analyst expectations of around 4 billion euros.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The president can make nominations but doesn't have direct oversight.
    Bonnie Bolden, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Other prominent Democrats and former officials in the Biden administration have also faced direct threats and actions from the Trump administration.
    Tom Dreisbach, NPR, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.
    Naeem Ghauri, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • This return to immigration law-and-order was the foremost promise of his 2024 campaign.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The preparatory challenges refer to legacy infrastructure and a lack of appropriate skills to jumpstart the AI adoption.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • This month, Rosatom began the preparatory site work to construct a nuclear power plant in Uzbekistan, which will be the first nuclear reactor in Central Asia and Russia’s first SMR export.
    Juzel Lloyd, Foreign Affairs, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • So the predominant number of that 3,500 is from the Civil War.
    Stephen Humphries, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Schiava was for a long while the predominant grape of AA, yet it was not held in high regard.
    John Mariani, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Primary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primary. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

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