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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of main
Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Dickies Arena, which opened in October 2019, features two main club areas, located on the plaza level at the respective ends of the venue.
—Mac Engel
february 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Shirl Leigh
january 20, New Atlas, 20 Jan. 2026
The city’s 36-inch southeast transmission main carries about 55% of the drinking water that leaves Aurora’s treatment plant, according to Director of Public Works Jason Bauer.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
These works are of two main types, both of which fall under the broad category of collage.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Dickies Arena, which opened in October 2019, features two main club areas, located on the plaza level at the respective ends of the venue.
—Mac Engel
february 7, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2026
Noun
The harvester can also run continuously when plugged into mains power, or it can be powered by a portable external battery pack.
—Shirl Leigh
january 20, New Atlas, 20 Jan. 2026
The city’s 36-inch southeast transmission main carries about 55% of the drinking water that leaves Aurora’s treatment plant, according to Director of Public Works Jason Bauer.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
The Gates Foundation and OpenAI have launched a $50 million program to bring AI capabilities to 1,000 primary health care clinics across Africa.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The Amazon-like company has been subjected to a number of investigations, raids, and inspections initiated by the Korea Fair Trade Commission, the country’s primary antitrust regulator, in recent years.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Until crude vulgarians like Miller came along, no prominent American political figure would claim on our behalf a right to use our power for purely selfish ends, at the expense of other democratic states and foreign peoples.—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Calling out corporate entities and concentration of power as enemies also appears to be a winning strategy for Democrats in their messaging tactics.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This neighborhood, peopled almost entirely by the people who claim to have been driven from Poland and Russia, is the eyesore of New York and perhaps the filthiest place on the western continent.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Lane has worked her way through more than 50 countries across all seven continents, trying everything from snowshoeing in Antarctica to glacier trekking in the French Alps.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps, on extremely long timescales, those heavier elements will sink to the center of the core, producing an inert center that slows the rate of fusion even further.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Sina Azodi, the director of the Middle East Studies Program at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital that Khamenei’s authority stems from direct control over Iran’s core power centers.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That structure can support the kind of consistent protein intake experts recommend for maintaining muscle and energy during perimenopause and menopause, especially when meals are selected in the roughly 25- to 35-gram protein range.—
Rita Templeton,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
-
His muscles waste, his mind dulls, his body collapses inward until only a voice remains, thin and disembodied.—
Gilberto Lopes,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Path of annularity The eclipse will rise over mainland Antarctica and set off the Davis Sea coast of the Southern Ocean.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Bad Bunny and others have frequently criticized the reliability of the United States' territory's utilities compared to the mainland.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For many Americans, the most vulnerable eating decisions of the day happen between lunch and dinner, and those decisions could have long-term consequences for how the body and brain handle blood sugar later in the day, according to recent research and reports.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The 251 hostages taken in the attack were returned to Israel in various ceasefire agreements, with the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, the final body in Gaza.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But the predominant response has been one of welcome, support and encouragement.—
Will Barker,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
-
For the past fifty years, the predominant theory held that our capacity to parse complicated syntax rested on specialized, innate faculties.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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