primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē 
also prə-
chiefly British ˈprī-mə-rə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
… has now become primarily a residential town …—
S. P. B. Mais
S. P. B. Mais2
: 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
The Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program primarily helps tax filers with incomes below $69,000, those who are disabled and those who are not proficient in English.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
Decisions about education belong primarily to parents and local communities, who are better positioned to meet children’s needs than the system.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Both traditional squats and chair squats help increase lower-body strength (primarily in the quads, glutes, and hips).
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 Feb. 2026
With plans for major renovations to Robb Field and Dusty Rhodes Park already approved by the city, the emphasis this time was on enhancing smaller parks that primarily serve local residents.
—Steven Mihailovich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 12 Feb. 2026
Decisions about education belong primarily to parents and local communities, who are better positioned to meet children’s needs than the system.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Both traditional squats and chair squats help increase lower-body strength (primarily in the quads, glutes, and hips).
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 Feb. 2026
With plans for major renovations to Robb Field and Dusty Rhodes Park already approved by the city, the emphasis this time was on enhancing smaller parks that primarily serve local residents.
—Steven Mihailovich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
2
: in the first place : originally
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