1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primal theme of the essay is toleration of religious diversity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
there was a period of primal idealism after the founding of the republic and before the rise of partisan politics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primal
The theology in such conflicts usually masks more primal power struggles and still tends to make the wars and warriors more fanatical and bloodthirsty.
—
Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026
Evil Kirk is a frightening, primal menace, skulking around the corridors like a feral beast, chugging brandy and assaulting Yeoman Rand with no conscience.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Gaining rare access to vibrant young people brimming with energy and doubt, uncertain if tomorrow even exists, the filmmaker reveals how living fiercely in the moment becomes a primal defense.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
My desire to catch this fish felt primal, written in my genes.
—Kim Cross, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primal
Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026
Evil Kirk is a frightening, primal menace, skulking around the corridors like a feral beast, chugging brandy and assaulting Yeoman Rand with no conscience.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Gaining rare access to vibrant young people brimming with energy and doubt, uncertain if tomorrow even exists, the filmmaker reveals how living fiercely in the moment becomes a primal defense.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 Mar. 2026
My desire to catch this fish felt primal, written in my genes.
—Kim Cross, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal
Adjective
-
Three main risks should worry Congress, the courts and every American about the rapid rise of these markets.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Surges can sometimes indicate an underlying wiring issue or a problem with your main breaker.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Summer means movies 🍿 From ancient Greece to a galaxy far, far away, the summer movie season has a blockbuster lineup of epic, sci-fi, superheroes and heroines to draw film fans to theaters.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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Each year, the city welcomes many curious visitors to experience the magnetism of ancient tradition meeting futuristic technology head-on.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This was a time when roads were primitive, and the need was to link cities with rural areas.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Any set of prime numbers is automatically primitive, because primes have no factors (except themselves and the number one).—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
By reducing interfacial resistance and suppressing the growth of lithium dendrites, the technology addresses a primary mechanical barrier to the commercial use of lithium metal anodes.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
-
First District voters will choose a Republican candidate in the May 5 primary election.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This 50-square-mile crescent in the Pacific has the southernmost coral reef in the world and a wealth of wilderness walks that include everything from primeval banyan forests to endangered ground-dwelling birds.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Dec. 2025
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Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California Time slows to a primeval pace in the sequoia groves that make up Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where arboreal giants have watched the seasons come and go for more than 2,000 years.—
Sarah L. Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
As usual, human progress gets the sublimely absurd Herzogian treatment, with modern and primordial sights and sounds becoming whole.—
Eric Kohn,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Gerber and company participate in such trips to observe nature in all its primordial rawness where one wrong step could end in death or dismemberment.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Habeas petitions have become the predominant path for immigrants seeking release from detention.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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Besides Paisley Park, the second most predominant setting in her life with Prince is Marbella, Spain.—
Darío Gael Blanco,
Vanity Fair,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Plane tickets are getting pricier After jumping to $209 a barrel in early April, the global price of jet fuel eased last week to around $179, still well above the roughly $99 at the end of February.—
Mae Anderson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
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Photograph courtesy 2025 Adama Films / Shochiku Yasujirō Ozu, who made dozens of masterworks from the nineteen-thirties through the early sixties, is among the most misunderstood of great directors.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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