as in main
coming before all others in importance
the cardinal rule of medicine: do no harm
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Recent Examples of cardinal
For some, artificial intelligence was the cardinal antagonist of 2024.
—
Jason Parham, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2024
The drama is anchored by the voting itself—the elaborate formalities with which the cardinal electors, of whom (in real life) there are a hundred and twenty-one, cast their ballots, requiring a two-thirds vote to yield a winner.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
As the disease worsens, cardinal symptoms include cough with or without phlegm and breathlessness, especially with exertion.
—Soma Mandal, Verywell Health, 4 Feb. 2025
What's next: McElroy is set to replace retiring cardinal Wilton Gregory in D.C. in March.
—Kate Murphy, Axios, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Jason Parham, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2024
The drama is anchored by the voting itself—the elaborate formalities with which the cardinal electors, of whom (in real life) there are a hundred and twenty-one, cast their ballots, requiring a two-thirds vote to yield a winner.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
As the disease worsens, cardinal symptoms include cough with or without phlegm and breathlessness, especially with exertion.
—Soma Mandal, Verywell Health, 4 Feb. 2025
What's next: McElroy is set to replace retiring cardinal Wilton Gregory in D.C. in March.
—Kate Murphy, Axios, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cardinal
Adjective
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Sean Penn co-stars as the film’s main villain, a steely-eyed colonel who looked pretty frigging scary in the footage, while Benicio del Toro is DiCaprio’s gun-toting, gonzo comrade.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2025
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The president has touted these tariffs as a way to help the US government rely less on income taxes as a main form of revenue.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His primary motive in life is to make money and get laid.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2025
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The glassed atrium, or collar, as Chenin calls it, connects the main public volume to the primary suite and gym.—
Rachel Gallaher,
Robb Report,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Jewish faith is predominant throughout the musical — references to certain prayers are made, Yiddish phrases are baked into the dialogue, and many Jewish traditions are brought to life on stage.—
Carolina del Busto,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Mar. 2025
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Practical implications In practice, much of the federal government’s day to day functioning will likely remain the same since English is already the predominant language used in the country, experts said.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Othering is a social phenomenon where individuals or groups are perceived and treated as fundamentally different from a dominant or in-group.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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The largest outer square can reflect the dominant wall or upholstery color (60%), the mid-tone middle square can be used for key furniture pieces or millwork (30%), and the smallest inner square makes for perfect accents—think pillows, art, or a bold door color (10%).—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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One of the world’s foremost JFK assassination experts thinks there’s nothing in the mountains of classified government files that President Donald Trump ordered released this week that points away from Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone gunman that sunny day in Dallas 61 years ago.—
Josh Meyer,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
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Robert Brill, Brill Media Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Before Jeff Conine, wearing a teal blazer and with his plaque displayed next to him, addressed fans, Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman cut a teal ribbon with giant shears to mark the Marlins Hall of Fame’s official opening on the Level 5 concourse.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2025
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And the principal owner of that underwater land is the federal government.—
Jorge L. Ortiz,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Sins Of The Brother Of course, the most shocking moment in this episode is something that’s been setup from the very first episode.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
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In the first episode, Lochlan watches Saxon undress and stares a little too long at him naked.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Mente added that the biggest difference between their prior collaborations and partnerships with influencers, talent and creatives is the global scale Cardi B’s beauty and fashion brands will reach.—
Emily Mercer,
Footwear News,
1 Apr. 2025
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The Red Sox, in need of an anchor for their rotation, pursued Crochet for much of the winter before finalizing the deal at the Winter Meetings, marking one of the biggest trades of the offseason.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cardinal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cardinal. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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