principally

[prin-suh-puh-lee, -sip-lee]

adverb

1. chiefly; mainly.

   Synonyms: primarily

ˈprincipally

/ ˈprɪnsɪpəlɪ /

adverb

1. mainly or most importantly

Word History and Origins

Origin of principally¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; principal, -ly

Synonym Study

See especially.

Example Sentences

The tax law in question says that if religious nonprofits are “supervised, controlled, or principally supported by a church,” they can be exempt from paying into Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance.

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In many Southern states, the workforce was principally composed of enslaved people, whose forced labor drove its immense agricultural output.

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While the research university has been indispensable for the technological foundations of U.S. wealth and power, its mission has to be understood principally in educational terms.

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Stripping out certain one-off items including a $496 million charge principally related to impairments, adjusted earnings were 58 cents a share, topping the average Wall Street peg of 50 cents a share according to FactSet.

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“It is principally responsible for the state regulatory frenzy that is damaging the startup ecosystem.”

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Related Words

• basically 
• chiefly 
• first and foremost 
• generally 
• importantly www.thesaurus.com
• largely 
• mostly 
• notably 
• particularly 
• predominantly www.thesaurus.com