main idea

American

[meyn ahy-dee-uh] / ˈmeɪn aɪˈdi ə /

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

main ideas

plural

Etymology

Origin of main idea

First recorded in 1855–65

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.

I produced this 20-minute film to help him fulfill that dream, but the main idea was to share tai chi with technology employees who are working 16 hours a day.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

The main idea stands in that it’s where I can go for just me; but I don’t take baths anymore, I don’t have time.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 21, 2024

The party's main idea for adult social care in England is to set up a royal commission within the first 100 days of a new government.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2024

The main idea is that there is a new kind of computing that isn’t here yet, but it’s coming.

From NewsForKids.net • May 29, 2024

But I agree with the main idea behind the nostalgia: literate people should know how to think about grammar.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023