primarily

adverb

pri·​mar·​i·​ly prī-ˈmer-ə-lē How to pronounce primarily (audio)
also prə-
chiefly British ˈprī-mə-rə-lē
Synonyms of primarilynext
1
: for the most part : chiefly
… has now become primarily a residential town …S. P. B. Mais
2
: in the first place : originally

Examples of primarily in a Sentence

the university was primarily an agricultural college when it was founded over two centuries ago ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Also known as consumption, this bacterial infection primarily attacks the lungs. Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 Jama refers to the high-energy rhythmic chants sang by people at events, primarily supporters of sports teams, and is pivotal in Ghanaian culture. Pj Green july 1, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026 He was traded to Boston in 2014, and in 2016, after being used primarily as a starter for much of his career, he was moved to the bullpen. Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 2 July 2026 Unlike conventional gaming headsets that primarily separate audio into left and right channels, Spherephones reproduces sound from above, below, behind, and in front of the user. Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for primarily

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of primarily was in 1601

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

primarily

adverb
pri·​mar·​i·​ly prī-ˈmer-ə-lē How to pronounce primarily (audio)
1
: for the most part : chiefly
2
: in the first place : originally

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