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
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Recent Examples of main
Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
While your house's main job is to be a comfortable spot to land after a long day, there are still plenty of decorative touches throughout the home, maybe some inspired by Hallie's California-meets-western style.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2025
Paul Ridden
may 30, New Atlas, 30 May 2025
The gas main catches fire and the house explodes, killing Mirren, Johnny and Gat.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
Compton's main argument was that the Panthers would rely solely on Newton's playmaking to win games, lacking the same elite talent the Eagles have surrounded Hurts with.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
While your house's main job is to be a comfortable spot to land after a long day, there are still plenty of decorative touches throughout the home, maybe some inspired by Hallie's California-meets-western style.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2025
Noun
The camera array to the rear sports a 50-megapixel main with a 1/1.3-inch imaging sensor and a large F1.95 aperture, a 50-MP ultra-wide and a 64 GB night vision camera.
—Paul Ridden
may 30, New Atlas, 30 May 2025
The gas main catches fire and the house explodes, killing Mirren, Johnny and Gat.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
Fortunately, the various streaming platforms that ride sidecar with the primary ratings engine of TV are recapturing a healthy percentage of the younger crowd who represent the future of sports consumption.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 July 2025
-
Pocketbook Issues Dominate The primary drivers of uncertainly are the cost of living, price inflation and general economic uncertainty.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Matt Mercer will be the Game Master for the first four shows, while Travis Willingham will take on the seat and the power of the GM for the first time in Dallas.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Both political parties have tested the line in trying to harness the power of the pulpit, with many Republicans wooing evangelical leaders while Democrats often try to curry favor with Black churches.—
Tiffany Li,
ABC News,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
As instability proliferates across regions and continents in our time, there’s surprisingly little public focus on the security of travel at the highest levels.—
Melik Kaylan,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
-
Country's global revival reaches the Pacific Islands Being based in the Pacific Islands offers Maoli unique geographical proximity to half the world's continents.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
The spin-off allowed the parent company to focus on its core business and return capital to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases .—
Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
10 July 2025
-
At its core are federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) like Baltimore Medical System, which provide primary care and wraparound support regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.—
Jacob Murphy,
Baltimore Sun,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
But this is not the predominant architectural style found in all of Cincinnati's neighborhoods, explained Cincinnati Preservation Association executive director Beth Johnson, a working group member.—
Sydney Franklin,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
-
There's near universal agreement that pay is a predominant factor in attracting and retaining teachers ― either to other schools or to other professions.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Isolation exercises target one joint at a time and enhance your muscles' appearance.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
14 July 2025
-
This generates an almost perfect marbling between meat and fat and a soft muscle, which makes for tasty and tender meat.—
Liza B. Zimmerman,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
The beach resort is based on the island of Zanzibar, off the Indian Ocean coast of mainland Tanzania.—
Heather Richardson,
Travel + Leisure,
8 July 2025
-
The company’s debut comes as Hong Kong has reclaimed its crown as the world’s top listing venue in 2025, driven by surging investor interest in tech stocks and mainland Chinese companies pivoting towards Hong Kong listings to hedge against U.S.-China tensions.—
Cat Wang,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
The search for Manny’s body, which was concentrated to a plot that is 200 feet by 200 feet by 4 feet, took four weeks, deputies said.—
Kate Linderman
July 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 July 2025
-
On July 7, Segura’s body was found in the river in what officers said was an accidental drowning.—
Paloma Chavez
July 8,
Sacbee.com,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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