primarily
Americanadverb
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essentially; mostly; chiefly; principally.
They live primarily from farming.
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in the first instance; at first; originally.
Primarily a doctor, he later became a lawyer.
adverb
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principally; chiefly; mainly
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at first; originally
Etymology
Origin of primarily
Explanation
Primarily means "for the most part." If in the summer, you primarily work at a restaurant, this is the thing you do most, though you also might hang out with friends, exercise, and read books. You can use the adverb primarily any time you'd use the word "mainly" — today, many people rely primarily on the Internet to get their news. This doesn't mean they never read newspapers or watch television news, but most of the time, they learn about current events online. The Latin root of primarily is primus, which means first — most important, most likely, or what you choose before anything else.
Vocabulary lists containing primarily
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 2
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The ACT: The Language of the Test, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At this week’s debate, Raman said it’s difficult to build affordable housing in her district, which is primarily zoned for single-family homes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
In the blood-forming system, this ability has traditionally been associated primarily with hematopoietic stem cells, which can produce all the major types of blood and immune cells.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Immigration raids have primarily hit trades such as roofers, painters and framers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The study in Nature said that projected rises in ocean temperatures and other pressures "primarily determined when and where, rather than if, conditions will become unviable for corals".
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
In the end, the Farewell Address was primarily a great prophecy, accompanied by advice about how to make it come true.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
