as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
all life on Earth supposedly came from a primordial ooze in existence many millions of years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 primordial
In retrospect, taken collectively, much of McCarthy’s work as an actor, filmmaker and journalist hinges on the friendship motif — that primordial ache to belong, that yearning to be seen.
—
Malina Saval, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The universe’s primordial quark-gluon plasma was, in fact, soupy.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Scientists at the company have cultivated primordial germ cells — early precursors to sperm and egg cells — from the pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026
Scientists at Colossal have cultivated primordial germ cells — early precursors to sperm and egg cells — from the pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Malina Saval, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The universe’s primordial quark-gluon plasma was, in fact, soupy.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Scientists at the company have cultivated primordial germ cells — early precursors to sperm and egg cells — from the pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 Mar. 2026
Scientists at Colossal have cultivated primordial germ cells — early precursors to sperm and egg cells — from the pigeon, the dodo’s closest living relative.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primordial
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
-
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
-
Model/Actriz’s songs reference Lady Gaga in one moment, then emit a primal scream the next.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2026
-
McIlroy threw back his head to the sky and let out a scream that was only half as primal and liberating as last year’s roar.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
13 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
-
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
-
Because the angle of Earth‘s magnetic field varies from the poles to the equator, these minerals act as a prehistoric GPS, allowing geoscientists to pinpoint a rock’s original location on the globe and chart its journey over millions of years.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Rewriting the Story of Ancient Cretaceous Oceans For decades, the narrative of prehistoric oceans has centered on massive vertebrates as the dominant predators.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
24 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
-
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
“Primordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primordial. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
