View synonyms for main idea

main idea

[ meyn ahy-dee-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the most important or central thought of a paragraph or larger section of text, which tells the reader what the text is about:
Find the main idea in each paragraph.

First recorded in 1855–65

“The main idea of the museum is to cheer people up,” Wynd says.

It is the myth in its entirety which is alone important: its parts are only of interest in so far as they bring out the main idea.

Fernald got up, and acting as though his main idea was just to stretch his legs, strolled up to the front of the car.

His main idea was, that he would see how much Bella knew before committing himself.

Perhaps the main idea in this was to have a handy refuge in case a sudden need arose.

The writer has already used the main idea of the allegory in the Ancrene Wisse (M 172, 271).

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