as in primary
coming before all others in importance
this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in power
muscular strength
all their might and main could not budge the stalled car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in continent
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division
islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in core
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
the main of the tree is still healthy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of main
Joe Guillen, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025
Rather than use conventional watch hands, his system featured rotating discs inscribed with the minutes and hours, which were hidden beneath the watch’s main dial.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025
Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
Most of Shelly's devices are powered through mains or wired connections, but the sensors can run on batteries.
—Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
State of play: Defending American League Cy Young winner Skubal is a main reason for the optimism around Detroit baseball.
—Joe Guillen, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025
Rather than use conventional watch hands, his system featured rotating discs inscribed with the minutes and hours, which were hidden beneath the watch’s main dial.
—Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
San Francisco has more than 1,900 miles of sewer mains and laterals.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025
Most of Shelly's devices are powered through mains or wired connections, but the sensors can run on batteries.
—Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
As the cool new kid in town, his Tommy Oliver was transformed into one of the core team of rangers' (Amy Jo Johnson, David Yost, Austin St. John, Walter Emanuel Jones, and Thuy Trang) primary adversaries: the fearsome Green Ranger.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
6 Apr. 2025
-
Even when wives are the primary or sole earners, husbands' contributions to housework remain largely unchanged, increasing only slightly when wives are sole earners.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Intake leverages the power of Ivalua’s gen AI and low code/no code configuration to automate and orchestrate processes across any system.—
Sarah Jones,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
At just some 25 miles thick in the case of continents and 4 miles thick under ocean basins, Earth's crust is, in contrast, far too thin, cool and rigid to support convection processes.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Available on all seven continents, coffee truly is a global beverage.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Bellinger has also been getting treatment, including core exercises and soft tissue work.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
-
In any event, the first quarter moon in Cancer encourages you to take action toward your emotional stability while considering your core values.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The policies announced so far in Trump's current term are on track to push the average tariff to 22.5%, per the Yale Budget Lab. Flashback: From the colonial era through the early 1900s, tariffs were the predominant source of the federal government's revenue.—
Neil Irwin,
Axios,
5 Apr. 2025
-
During oral arguments, Louisiana and its backers sought to argue that there was a difference between considering race when creating the congressional maps versus viewing race as the predominant factor.—
Zach Schonfeld,
The Hill,
24 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS causes loss of muscle control and there is currently no cure for this disease.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Eating cottage cheese before bed helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which can help support a healthy metabolism.—
Veronica Cristino,
Vogue,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The series features films submitted by mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan for consideration for the Academy Awards International Feature Film category.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025
-
The Hong Kong stock exchange has adjusted its listing rules in the interim, including ones that support companies already listed in mainland China to offer shares in Hong Kong.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
It’s crafted in wood and comes equipped with speakers and full body fans to keep users comfortable while navigating the virtual terrain during workouts.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
-
According to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court, the child, who is nonverbal, had scratches and red marks on her body as a result of the incident, WCHS reported.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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