1
as in rudimentary
belonging to or characteristic of an early level of skill or development
primitive wooden tools were used before the Iron Age
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
a primitive period in church history when members still lived in communes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
her taste in art was still primitive, but she knew schlock when she saw it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barbarian
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primitive
Mike Giuliano, Howard County Times, 23 June 2017
A lot of the campgrounds are primitive, and lack some common amenities - including water.
—Jamie Hale, OregonLive.com, 6 July 2017
EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
But better reasons inhere in the rush of new ideas that have reinvigorated the science of paleontology and forced us to recast murky old primitives as efficient and worthy creatures in their own terms.
—Stephen Jay Gould, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for primitive 
Adjective
Constructed in front of the stone ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park in Ellicott City, that caveman-evocative set provides a suitably primitive stomping ground for the monstrous Caliban.
—Mike Giuliano, Howard County Times, 23 June 2017
A lot of the campgrounds are primitive, and lack some common amenities - including water.
—Jamie Hale, OregonLive.com, 6 July 2017
Noun
Meanwhile, humans have regressed into being primitives that the apes hunt for sport, or feed out of pity from beside their campfire.
—EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
But better reasons inhere in the rush of new ideas that have reinvigorated the science of paleontology and forced us to recast murky old primitives as efficient and worthy creatures in their own terms.
—Stephen Jay Gould, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
See all Example Sentences for primitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primitive
Adjective
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The most rudimentary method is something anyone with a computer can do at home: asking a chatbot to produce many responses to a single question.—
Lauren Leffer,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2025
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Macondo 0-1, as it is called, the rudimentary village of Macondo, was built at Garanchal Ranch, Venadillo, a 20-minute drive north go Alvardo, on the edge of the Magdalena River, Colombia’s longest, in Tolima.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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With planned lunar missions set to send astronauts around the Moon next year, followed by a landing soon after, the discovery of these canyons offers an unprecedented opportunity to collect ancient geological samples.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
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Archaeologists recently found an ancient Roman helmet in an unusual location, a Danish village.—
Andrea Margolis,
Fox News,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Although this Cinderella is thankfully not a naive maiden, her storyline occasionally gets muddled by one too many loose threads.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
25 Jan. 2025
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The clip sparked strong reactions from viewers, some accusing Luke of cheating or Liv of being naive.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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It was called the Save Women’s Sports Act, conjuring an image of barbarians at the gate.—
Louisa Thomas,
The New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2025
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By this time, Rome survived numerous attacks from pagan European tribes and the Asian Huns before finally succumbing to Germanic barbarians in 476 C.E..—
Joanne M. Pierce,
The Conversation,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But evidence of when prehistoric people started eating meat has been difficult to find.—
Hatty Willmoth,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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These prehistoric people most closely followed a Mediterranean-like diet.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Gamers will love its dual HDMI 2.1 inputs for a variable refresh rate (VRR) of up to 144 Hz, while the Google TV interface makes setup and streaming simple and swift.—
Ryan Waniata,
WIRED,
5 Feb. 2025
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For a more subtle look, weave the lights around strands of greenery to create a stunning, and simple, centerpiece.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
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Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Jessica Winter considers how these moves reflect the primal power of naming.—
Ian Crouch,
The New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2025
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The sounds of horses bucking and huffing only heighten the primal, animalistic vibes in a scene that smash-cuts to Agnes being brutally admonished by her new stepmother, spurring Agnes’ own quiet war against Elvira.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near primitive
Cite this Entry
“Primitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primitive. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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