1
as in derivative
taken or created from something original or basic
history textbooks are secondary sources for historical information and do not represent original research
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
of little or less value or merit
we need to focus on getting the groceries bought and the rent paid—everything else is secondary
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dependent
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of secondary
Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
The asset limit applies to bank accounts, stocks, and secondary property, but primary homes, vehicles, and personal items are usually exempt.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
McDuffie, a First-team All-Pro in 2023, has Super Bowl pedigree, playing a starting role in the secondary for two rings as part of the Chiefs’ dominance in recent seasons.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for secondary
Adjective
Through the post-secondary program, Tran will also graduate from Dakota County Technical College with an associate degree in construction management, while Sonterre will complete a sales specialist certificate at DCTC.
—Elliot Mann, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
The asset limit applies to bank accounts, stocks, and secondary property, but primary homes, vehicles, and personal items are usually exempt.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
The Rams have made multiple moves to retain and add players to a secondary that will be key next season and beyond for an organization that has gone all in to play in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium next February.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
McDuffie, a First-team All-Pro in 2023, has Super Bowl pedigree, playing a starting role in the secondary for two rings as part of the Chiefs’ dominance in recent seasons.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for secondary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for secondary
Adjective
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McCormick is presiding over two separate derivative cases including Musk.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
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While legal sports books must follow regulations set by states, prediction markets have argued their trades — called event contracts — are derivative markets, and thus fall under the CFTC's jurisdiction.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Meanwhile, at home, small appliances might break down or a minor breakage could occur.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
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The restaurant became a minor sensation—the titular dish is terrific, silken and subtle and rich, but what most stood out was a rotating lineup of specials, mostly hawker-style Malaysian fare, particularly the food of Klang, his parents’ home town, on Malaysia’s western coast.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Eligibility for this payment depends on whether the child is expected to qualify as a dependent for federal tax purposes, as outlined in Form 4547 instructions.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Service members and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Beaten 4-1 at Bolton Wanderers, Leeds were effectively relegated to the second tier with two games remaining because of their vastly inferior goal difference.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
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During the Middle Ages, for example, many contemporary accounts from both Christian and Muslim societies depicted their opposing side as barbaric, blasphemous, and inferior.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In 2024, Ronnie Reese, Johnson’s first press secretary, kept his job for months after harassment allegations were lodged against him by female subordinates.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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King instead told the grand jury that any changes to Goodloe’s working conditions had been the decision of a subordinate, according to the indictment.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Her older brother, Aiden, is a junior on South Elgin’s junior varsity baseball team.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
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All four of Munoz’s children attended Park Hill schools, including her youngest son who is a junior at Park Hill South High School.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of this positioning has come from their fellow players; finales for the first 40 seasons were packed with bitter jurors who often saved their meanest digs for the women finalists.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
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Zhipu said in its earnings report released Tuesday that its revenue rose about 132% to 724 million yuan in 2025 from the previous year, though that figure missed the mean analyst estimate of 760 million yuan, polled by Reuters.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Orientale basin will be an ongoing subject of study for members of the Orion spacecraft's four-person crew, which includes commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
6 Apr. 2026
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The consensus of the interview subjects is that the prime period of New York filmmaking was brought to an end by television, which involved far more corporate oversight of production and turned the process into an impersonal assembly line.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Secondary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/secondary. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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