primacy

noun

ˈprī-mə-sē How to pronounce primacy (audio)
Definition of primacynext
as in dominance
the fact or state of being above others in rank or importance the primacy of calcium for building strong bones

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of primacy The city’s shrinkage can more accurately be attributed to two things: the ravages of the bubonic plague in the 14th century and the loss of its trade primacy once the Portuguese established a route to India. — Hannah Edgar, ARTnews.com, 27 Feb. 2025 Money spent on the U.S. military in pursuit of global primacy is money taken from these essential tasks. — Anatol Lieven, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 The hostage recovery fusion cell holds primacy on these cases. — CBS News, 22 Dec. 2024 Although some of the Westerners who engaged in lucrative business in Russia expressed concern over Putin’s unchallenged primacy in presiding over the arbitrary redistribution of property and the rapid consolidation of state ownership, the squeamish were far outnumbered by the opportunistic. — Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for primacy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primacy
  1. dominance
  2. superiority
  3. distinction
  4. supremacy
  5. reputation
Noun
  • As Trump’s administration aggressively restructures federal agencies, these changes will likely proceed without public input, further entrenching private sector dominance.
    — Nathan Meyers, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The focus is more on individual needs than relationship-building (e.g., asserting dominance, avoiding deep engagement).
    — Mark Travers, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of dominance
Noun
  • Wealth isn’t about intelligence or moral superiority.
    — Greg Clement, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Lopez and the co-sponsors want to cloak themselves in moral superiority and call it a day.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of superiority
Noun
  • But there is an important distinction to make between a goalkeeper kicking long and passing long; Maresca’s primary issue is with the former and his desire to avoid simply gifting possession back to the opposition.
    — Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Ferrer has the distinction of being the longest-serving drummer in Guns N’ Roses history.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of distinction
Noun
  • Soto didn’t have the same affinity for the Yankees as Judge, and now the two will battle for supremacy of the city.
    — Chris Kirschner, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
  • In a surprise move, China — long criticized for its human rights record — signed the declaration, further widening the distance between America and the rest in the tussle for AI supremacy.
    — Aamer Madhani, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
Definition of supremacy
Noun
  • Kelly has built a reputation for crafting spaces that capture the essence of his clients’ visions (all while addressing the intricacies of planning and staying ahead of changing industry demands).
    — Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • At the time of Carr’s death, Lee was building a national reputation as a forensic scientist and could be counted on to be present with state police major crime investigators at high profile crime scenes.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of reputation

Browse Nearby Words

primacy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Primacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primacy. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All