as in primary
coming before all others in importance
this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in power
muscular strength
all their might and main could not budge the stalled car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in continent
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division
islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in core
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
the main of the tree is still healthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of main
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Currently, schools receive about $15,000 annually per student through the state’s main funding mechanism, the Local Control Funding Formula, with an additional $7,000 coming from the federal government, block grants, lottery money, special education funds and other sources.
—Calmatters, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
From savory starters, like party-ready dips and one-bite delights, to crowd-friendly mains, like pot roasts and extra-special pasta dishes, these New Year’s recipes are primed to send out the old and usher in the new.
—Kelly Vaughan, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
Virgin River‘s Season 7 returning main cast Includes Breckenridge, Henderson, Tim Matheson, Annette O’Toole, Colin Lawrence, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Allen, Sarah Dugdale, Grazzini, Kai Bradbury and Kandyse McClure.
—Noun
This industrial-chic bistro from James Beard Award semifinalist chef Dallas McGarity is known for its New American small plates, mains and imaginative craft cocktails.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
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If the recovering addicts’ primary task was to filter out women who wouldn’t qualify to sue—namely, those who didn’t have pelvic mesh or who did but weren’t in pain—Blake’s was to amp up the value of their lawsuits (and attorneys’ fees) by convincing them to have their mesh surgically removed.—
-
The other available Heat players who were out of the primary rotation Saturday were Keshad Johnson, Simone Fontecchio, Kasparas Jakucionis and Myron Gardner.—
Noun
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The experience also reinforced Madsen’s belief in the power of social media.—
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Mophie's power bank has the functionality of a wireless MagSafe connection, with the convenience of a stand.—
Noun
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At the northeast corner of the Sahara Desert, its vast wilderness marks the final leg on the African continent for those fleeing war, persecution, and lack of opportunity in search of a better life.—
-
Astrotourism continues to be one of the world's leading trends, and many travelers make big plans to cross oceans and continents just to experience auroras, meteor showers, and some of the darkest night skies in the world.—
Noun
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Visa and MasterCard have responded to growing scrutiny with minor, cosmetic adjustments, but the core problem remains unchanged.—
-
Instead, creators will take on the role of consultants, as brands develop more substantial partnerships with the talent that now make up such a core part of their marketing strategies.—
Noun
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Rarely, salmonella can result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation, and urinary tract symptoms.—
-
The outcome measures were muscle size, measured with ultrasound, and muscle strength, measured as one-rep max for leg press and barbell biceps curl.—
Noun
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Cast adrift from mainland Italy, the Mediterranean's largest island has been caught in the crosshairs of civilizations for centuries.—
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Despite medical aid given by tourists who stopped to help, a 16-year-old girl from the mainland and a 38-year-old man from Rosebery both died at the scene.—
Noun
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Stokes, who seldom completes a five-Test series these days, had dragged his creaking, aching body through almost five full matches of hard, hot, energy-sapping cricket, like scraping butter over too much bread, but somehow soldiering on.—
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The hardware is built for intimacy, pairing a soft exterior with full-body sensors that react to a user’s touch on its head or neck.—
Adjective
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Still, the predominant image of Levi Strauss heir Lurie is that of an earnest problem solver blending private sector agility with an ability to experiment with public policy.—
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The predominant symptoms experienced by the ill passengers and crew members were vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps.—
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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