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
This primarily involves regular and thorough toothbrushing, flossing, and dental visits.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 6 Apr. 2025
The Villages is primarily represented by Republican Representative Daniel Webster of Florida's 11th Congressional District.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
For plush toys specifically, that growth primarily began in the pandemic, said Juli Lennett, US toys industry adviser at Circana.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
Like beef, rice sold in the U.S. is domestically produced, but nearly a third is imported, primarily jasmine rice from Thailand and basmati rice from India, the USDA states.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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Mark Gurarie, Health, 6 Apr. 2025
The Villages is primarily represented by Republican Representative Daniel Webster of Florida's 11th Congressional District.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Apr. 2025
For plush toys specifically, that growth primarily began in the pandemic, said Juli Lennett, US toys industry adviser at Circana.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 6 Apr. 2025
Like beef, rice sold in the U.S. is domestically produced, but nearly a third is imported, primarily jasmine rice from Thailand and basmati rice from India, the USDA states.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
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 Apr. 2025.
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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