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
2
: 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
Muller works primarily with non-speaking autistic children.
—Deb Harvell, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2025
The Presidential Seal is governed by strict regulations under federal law, primarily 18 U.S.C. § 713 and Executive Order 11649.
—Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Supported primarily by private funds, such as Dallas Cowboy owner Jerry Jones’ $20 million donation, the museum has the freedom to include exhibits that highlight acts of courage by Black, Latino, Asian, and white soldiers.
—Richard J. Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 May 2025
Plus, they’re discounted in a full range of sizes from 36 to 41, although they’re primarily intended for narrow feet.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for primarily
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.
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Kids Definition
primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
2
: in the first place : originally
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share