1
: physical strength : force
—used in the phrase with might and main
The next instant we were away down the river, clawing with might and main to keep out of the woods.—
Mark Twain
Mark Twain3
: the chief part : essential point
they are in the main well-trained
4
: a pipe, duct, or circuit which carries the combined flow of tributary branches of a utility system
Examples of main in a Sentence
Noun
My radio runs either off batteries or off the mains.
Turn off the water at the mains.
Adjective
Speed is the main advantage of this approach.
The company's main office is located in New York.
driving down the main road
This dish can be served as a main course or appetizer.
And now for the main event of the evening!
Recent Examples on the Web
David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
The Cannes Film Festival expects robust attendance — especially compared to the strike and pandemic editions — as the Côte d’Azur’s main of event of cinema is once again the starting point of awards season.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
Tony Sanchez, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
One study showed that consuming moderate- and high-GI fruits after main meals can improve blood insulin and insulin function.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Noun
John Cena Feud Was A Disappointment WWE invested over two years in the storyline ending in The Rock and John Cena main eventing consecutive WrestleMania events.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
The Cannes Film Festival expects robust attendance — especially compared to the strike and pandemic editions — as the Côte d’Azur’s main of event of cinema is once again the starting point of awards season.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The rest of the body's main chakras are located down the five segments of the spine—cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx—which are governed by the sympathetic nervous system.
—Tony Sanchez, Time, 25 Apr. 2025
One study showed that consuming moderate- and high-GI fruits after main meals can improve blood insulin and insulin function.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/main. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
main
2 of 2 adjective1
: chief entry 1 sense 2, principal
the main idea
2
: pure sense 3, sheer
by main force
3
: being a clause that is capable of standing alone as a simple sentence but is part of a larger sentence that includes a subordinate clause or another main clause
mainly
adverb
Geographical Definition
Main
geographical name
ˈmīn 
ˈmān
river 325 miles (523 kilometers) long in south central Germany rising in northern Bavaria in the Fichtelgebirge and flowing west into the Rhine River
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