as in primary
coming before all others in importance
this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in power
muscular strength
all their might and main could not budge the stalled car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in continent
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division
islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in core
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
the main of the tree is still healthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 main
Charlotte Minnick, Hartford Courant, 20 Dec. 2024
Made up of two main islands, its land area is about twice the size of Washington DC.
—Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
Gregory Wakeman, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024
Appetizers include tempura lobster tails, chicken wings and fried calamari, and mains include short-ribs, pastas and a NY strip.
—Mckenzie Rankin, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for main 
Adjective
Fertilizers are made up of three main nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).
—Charlotte Minnick, Hartford Courant, 20 Dec. 2024
Made up of two main islands, its land area is about twice the size of Washington DC.
—Catherine Nicholls, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
Damage to roads proved to be a major inconvenience, especially as broken sewage, water and gas mains prevented people from getting to work in the morning.
—Gregory Wakeman, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024
Appetizers include tempura lobster tails, chicken wings and fried calamari, and mains include short-ribs, pastas and a NY strip.
—Mckenzie Rankin, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
For Lipman, spending quality time with his grandson is his current primary goal for social fitness.Renée Onque, CNBC, 25 Dec. 2024
-
Nikki Haley withdraws from the Republican nomination race after Donald Trump racks up primary victories on Super Tuesday.The Week UK, theweek, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Plyometrics is a type of exercise that involves quickly stretching and contracting muscles to create explosive movements with bodyweight resistance, increasing muscle power.Sherri Gordon, Health, 19 Dec. 2024
-
The performance problems resolved via the Windows update are both related to a missing power plan specific to the Core Ultra processors—Intel didn't have those power plans ready for reviewers, who did all their testing using the generic power profiles provided with Windows.Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Amongst legacy fashion houses and designers across continents, menswear leaned into innovative designs that pushed the boundaries of conventional garments.Greg Emmanuel, Essence, 21 Dec. 2024
-
The exhibition gathers more than 350 objects, spanning from the 1920s to the present, by artists on four continents: Africa, North America, South America, and Europe.Chadd Scott, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
At the core of the company’s operation is the aim of developing the technological skills of all sorts of large organizations using AI.Roger Trapp, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
-
The exact ingredients vary, but at its core, eggnog is eggs, cream, milk, sugar, and, often, liquor (usually rum or whiskey) that are whisked together.Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Chin-Hong said there are two predominant strains of the virus circulating: H1N1 and H3N2, with the latter virus associated with more severe disease, which may be causing the surges of hospitalizations abroad.Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
-
That’s the predominant note for the first couple tastes, before the whisky gradually opens up into freshly baked bread, vanilla glaze, and Hawaiian sweet rolls.David Thomas Tao, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
In addition to providing a momentary escape from flight delays and restless children, this type of micro-mobility for the workplace also helps build employees’ muscles for choosing the best places to do their work.Phil Kirschner, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
-
The Senate report released Sunday said the company forces workers to repeat the same movements hundreds, if not thousands, of times each shift, resulting in extremely high rates of injury to their muscles and joints.Chris Isidore, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The ICBMs are all capable of reaching the U.S. mainland in the event of a nuclear conflict.Ryan Chan, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Zixu Wang is a Times reporter and researcher covering news in mainland China and Hong Kong.Alexandra Stevenson, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
After bringing the puck into the offensive zone, Tippett had the awareness to body defender Damon Severson off the puck, allowing Frost a shooting lane to lift it through Merzlikins at 11:51.Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
-
Some people are drawn to the sight of bodies in motion.Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near main
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share