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
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Recent Examples of primary
In a 2013 special election, Sanford won back his old congressional seat, beating 15 other candidates in a primary and runoff.
—
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Alvarado’s playing time against the Hawks came at the expense of the slumping Landry Shamet, who played 18 minutes in Game 1 and 10 in Game 2 before falling out of the primary rotation.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets weren’t forcing Minnesota into tough defensive decisions enough, which can be accomplished by freeing up your best players from their primary matchups.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
The five bedrooms are upstairs with an ensuite primary bedroom that also has a fireplace.
—Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primary
ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Alvarado’s playing time against the Hawks came at the expense of the slumping Landry Shamet, who played 18 minutes in Game 1 and 10 in Game 2 before falling out of the primary rotation.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets weren’t forcing Minnesota into tough defensive decisions enough, which can be accomplished by freeing up your best players from their primary matchups.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026
The five bedrooms are upstairs with an ensuite primary bedroom that also has a fireplace.
—Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primary
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
-
Earlier, the Moon in Libra opposes direct Mercury in Aries, so thoughts may move faster than your emotional response, making conversations feel slightly off or rushed.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
McKenna, working this time without the safety net of direct source material, has composed a shiny soap-bubble satire of a doom-laden cultural and journalistic landscape.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Also in attendance were NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, and Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Google.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Beauty as chief financial officer at just 35, Mandy Fields knows a little something about defying limits.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
According to court records, an unsecured bond of $30,000 was set for Mours, who is due to face a preliminary hearing next month.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Steven Jones was shot and killed after his sister called 911 and said he was armed with a knife during a mental health crisis and had cut himself, according to a preliminary report from the Connecticut Office of Inspector General.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The race came amid a broader power struggle between the two sides of City Hall early in both Mamdani and Menin’s leadership, but the election will also have a more immediate impact.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
No immediate impact likely for world oil markets The UAE’s withdrawal from OPEC won’t necessarily have any immediate effects in markets.—
Jon Gambrell,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Dhawan is considered one of India’s foremost filmmakers in the comedy genre.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
One of the nation's foremost civic reenactment organizations and historical societies, the Lexington Minute Men represent the original colonial militia who fought in the first battle of the American Revolution.—
Eric Fisher,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Najib was the only one of the defendants who was arrested and present in person in court Sunday for a preparatory session in the trial, which will continue next month.—
Ghaith Alsayed,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Czech power company ČEZ signed a deal on Friday with Rolls-Royce SMR on preparatory work for the British company to build the first small modular nuclear reactor in the Czech Republic.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Habeas petitions have become the predominant path for immigrants seeking release from detention.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Besides Paisley Park, the second most predominant setting in her life with Prince is Marbella, Spain.—
Darío Gael Blanco,
Vanity Fair,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Primary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primary. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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