1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primary concern for many house hunters is the asking price
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in chief
highest in rank or authority
the movie's primary screenwriter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of primary
Williams pointed to rising production costs and declining attendee donations as primary reasons the Silver Room Block Party could not continue, highlighting a reality that all street festival organizers face right now.
—
Pamela Maass, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2025
Trump soundly won the GOP primary race in 2016 and carried Florida in the general election.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
In addition, the university will also serve as the primary sponsor at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, scheduled for 25 May 2025.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images Less than two months before the official start of hurricane season, the nation’s primary disaster-response agency faces an uncertain future.
—Molly Taft, Wired News, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primary
Pamela Maass, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2025
Trump soundly won the GOP primary race in 2016 and carried Florida in the general election.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 18 Apr. 2025
In addition, the university will also serve as the primary sponsor at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, scheduled for 25 May 2025.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025
Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images Less than two months before the official start of hurricane season, the nation’s primary disaster-response agency faces an uncertain future.
—Molly Taft, Wired News, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primary
Adjective
-
The 9a's main camera takes 12MP images thanks to pixel binning, and the resulting shots are nearly identical to the Pixel 9 Pro's.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Approach with caution, look at reviews, and maybe don’t use your main credit card (or at least keep your bank’s dispute line handy).—
Francesca Krempa,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Coach Prime effect was immediate: the Buffaloes sold out every home game last season.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
-
There was some belief that when Trump’s tariffs went into effect at midnight the price impacts would be immediate, and some have already started to talk that way.—
Lori Ann LaRocco,
CNBC,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Extreme temperatures are fueled by the climate crisis, the chief driver of which is the burning of fossil fuels.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
-
That result was no surprise, according to Mitchell Elkind, MD, the chief clinical science officer at the American Heart Association.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
DuBose denied Libby's motion for a preliminary injunction Friday, ruling the process House Speaker Ryan Fecteau used to impose the sanction reflected the will of the majority of Maine House members.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The issuing of a preliminary injunction comes in a lawsuit filed by a group of unions and retirees in Maryland, which is one of more than a dozen suits to raise alarms about the kind of data DOGE has accessed, and how such data could be used.—
Stephen Fowler,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
For example, there’s a direct link between deforestation in the Amazon and the reduction of rainfall in the United States, and deforestation of the Congo Basin has a direct impact on reduction of rainfall in Europe (Duke research).—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Many described the Trump administration’s cancellations as a direct attack on science and research rooted in facts, warning that political interference is not just stalling progress but actively endangering public health.—
Angel Algarin,
Scientific American,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Iranians are responding to several inducements, foremost among them the staggering array of forces the United States has prepositioned in the Middle East.—
The Editors,
National Review,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Ryan Ferrier,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The overdraft rule, which the consumer bureau finalized in December after years of preparatory work, was scheduled to take effect in late 2025.—
Stacy Cowley,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Of those five, sources close to negotiations say the biggest point of conflict Monday was a debate over preparatory time for elementary school teachers.—
Nell Salzman,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In 2000, Smithfield Foods, the state’s predominant producer of hogs, agreed to pay $1 per hog produced in the state — for a total of up to $2 million — into a fund, with part of that money used to research more environmentally friendly ways of handling hog waste.—
Gavin Off,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Jan. 2025
-
Common cold and flu are hitting hardest, with influenza A the predominant strain.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primary. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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