1
as in originally
in the beginning
the university was primarily an agricultural college when it was founded over two centuries ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mainly
for the most part
ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primarily
Without water from the reservoir, firefighters had to primarily rely on the water tanks that weren't designed to fight such a large fire, the complaint said.
—
CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025
The wider tour will likely focus primarily on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has been a leading part of the returning Commander in Chief’s platform.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 Jan. 2025
What does weight really tell us about our health?
01:41
CNN —
For years, medical experts have defined obesity primarily based on body mass index, which measures stored fat by calculating height and weight, to determine a person’s health risks.
—Faye Chiu, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
Channing had been primarily a theater actress, and 1975’s The Fortune, directed by Mike Nichols and co-starring Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson, was meant to be her big break.
—Victoria Edel, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for primarily 
CBS News, 24 Jan. 2025
The wider tour will likely focus primarily on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has been a leading part of the returning Commander in Chief’s platform.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 24 Jan. 2025
What does weight really tell us about our health?
01:41
CNN —
For years, medical experts have defined obesity primarily based on body mass index, which measures stored fat by calculating height and weight, to determine a person’s health risks.
—Faye Chiu, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
Channing had been primarily a theater actress, and 1975’s The Fortune, directed by Mike Nichols and co-starring Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson, was meant to be her big break.
—Victoria Edel, People.com, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for primarily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primarily
Adverb
-
This story was originally published January 17, 2025 at 9:02 AM.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
17 Jan. 2025
-
TikTok’s fate in the U.S. now lies in the hands of President-elect Donald Trump, who originally favored a TikTok ban during his first administration, but has since flip-flopped on the matter.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
17 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Watson looked fine last week against the Houston Texans but was mainly used as part of double-teams on Nico Collins.—
Ted Nguyen,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
-
The reduction in expenses is mainly due to lower professional fees.—
Quartz Intelligence Newsroom,
Quartz,
24 Jan. 2025
Adverb
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The deaths have mostly involved locals and have been blamed by local authorities on a wave of arms and gun trafficking fueling turf wars among rival gangs in Providenciales.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
19 Jan. 2025
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The provision has been rarely used since World War II and has mostly been reserved for situations where extreme weather has overwhelmed power plants, Schwartz said.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
19 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
Beyond the awe-inspiring beauty of the image, this portrait will be an invaluable tool for astronomers to piece together Andromeda's tumultuous history, chiefly its mergers with smaller satellite galaxies.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
23 Jan. 2025
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To be sure, Trump may be using the threat of aggressive new tariffs chiefly as a bargaining tactic to win better trading terms from other nations, while inflation may continue to drift lower this year, giving the Fed room to continue cutting rates.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
3 Jan. 2025
Adverb
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In places like Freiburg, where a group of predominantly Syrian immigrants participated in a gang rape that became a major news story, the influx fuelled security fears and anti-immigrant sentiment.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
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The lawsuits have been filed predominantly in heavily Black neighborhoods, which property owners see as part of a mission to gentrify and redevelop their neighborhoods by pushing them out.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
Adverb
-
That can be a concern for market participants, whose attention has largely been focused on the potential of the technology for more than a year.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
21 Jan. 2025
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Trump's new immigration orders largely mirror policies from his first term.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
21 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primarily. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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