mainly
Americanadverb
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chiefly; principally; for the most part; in the main; to the greatest extent.
Our success was due mainly to your efforts. The audience consisted mainly of students.
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Obsolete. greatly; mightily; abundantly.
adverb
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for the most part; to the greatest extent; principally
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obsolete strongly; very much
Etymology
Origin of mainly
First recorded in 1225–75, mainly is from the Middle English word maynliche, maynly. See main 1, -ly
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.
It prevents marchers from setting foot on the mainly Nationalist Garvaghy Road – the flashpoint of previous summers.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
The April ceasefire put an end to the most intense fighting, but sporadic attacks, mainly around the Strait of Hormuz, have dimmed the prospects of a final peace agreement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
That was roughly in line with what analysts were expecting, and mainly reflected higher provisions in capital markets and personal banking but lower provisions in commercial banking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Prior to the rise of online real-estate platforms like Zillow, it was mainly real-estate agents who had knowledge of which homes were up for sale.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
Mersenne’s community was an informal group which met and exchanged letters, though he expressed a wish to form a proper college that would function mainly through correspondence.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions 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.
