as in chiefly
for the most part
the tourists were principally concerned with the quantity of the food, and only secondarily with the quality
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of principally
The biggest beneficiaries of Gulf defense spending in recent years have been Western allies, principally the US.
—
Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Both are principally manufactured by TSMC.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Virginia state agencies would no longer and principally state police, as the largest of the state law enforcement agencies, would no longer put their police officers, their troopers, under the supervision and direction of ICE agents.
—Mike Stunson, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
The story is principally set early in 1965, on the stark desert island of Qeshm, in the Strait of Hormuz.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
But the job of mayor of a big city like Chicago is principally a management task.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
To ramp up solar power even faster than Cuba did last year, LeoGrande said other countries, principally China, would have to be willing to double or more their provision of such equipment.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Rising electricity prices are being driven principally by rising prices for fossil fuels, especially natural gas.
—Liz Krueger, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
The lawsuit notes that Lipari, as well as the individuals principally involved in Lipari Brothers’ operations, are white.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
march 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Both are principally manufactured by TSMC.
—Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
Virginia state agencies would no longer and principally state police, as the largest of the state law enforcement agencies, would no longer put their police officers, their troopers, under the supervision and direction of ICE agents.
—Mike Stunson, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
The story is principally set early in 1965, on the stark desert island of Qeshm, in the Strait of Hormuz.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
But the job of mayor of a big city like Chicago is principally a management task.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
To ramp up solar power even faster than Cuba did last year, LeoGrande said other countries, principally China, would have to be willing to double or more their provision of such equipment.
—ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Rising electricity prices are being driven principally by rising prices for fossil fuels, especially natural gas.
—Liz Krueger, New York Daily News, 12 Mar. 2026
The lawsuit notes that Lipari, as well as the individuals principally involved in Lipari Brothers’ operations, are white.
—Robert A. Cronkleton
march 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principally
Adverb
-
Another amendment adopted to the bill sought to address multiuser accounts, chiefly by having parental and subordinate accounts.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The latest news is, in essence, a third iteration of how best to expand Villa Park, chiefly led by the rebuild of its North Stand.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
The layout resembled a samurai sword, where the hardest material is concentrated mainly along the cutting edge.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
-
In the complex circulatory system of a Boeing 737, the landing gear is controlled mainly by hydraulics driven by the left engine.—
James Glanz,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adverb
-
Iran primarily responded by attacking shipping to shut down the Strait of Hormuz trade corridor along with striking US military bases and energy infrastructure across the Gulf region.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The remaining droneship, A Shortfall of Gravitas, can support four-day launch cycle time while SpaceX will continue to use primarily LZ-40 for return-to-launch-site missions, Dontchev said.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
But the analytics show that this has mostly been an even series at five-on-five.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The day will be mostly sunny with highs in the mid 80s across the region, according to NWS Melbourne.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
But with the $110 billion megadeal yet to close, the exec has been given a new contract ahead of his current deal expiring, and one largely with agreement terms unchanged.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The origins of outlaw country music, popular in the 1970s and ‘80s, are largely credited to Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, but Coe was a seminal figure in the subgenre.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Working with predominantly Latino families, Barba said the nine-week intervention, which usually consists of six to 10 community members, became a way to help people deal with fear arising from the immigration enforcement activities happening in Lake County as well as throughout the Chicago area.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the attacks after two men were stabbed in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood of north London.—
Greg Miller,
Washington Post,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Principally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principally. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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