as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
all life on Earth supposedly came from a primordial ooze in existence many millions of years ago
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Recent Examples of primordial
Since much of that action takes place in clubs where dancing was primordial, the show can incorporate diegetic numbers that set your heart racing.
—
Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025
After a 30-minute tug of war, finally seeing the bony plates of the prehistoric fish emerge from the murky depths of the Snake feels like uncovering the last surviving creature to slither out of the primordial ooze shortly after the Earth cooled.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Visitors to the La Brea Tar Pits are aware of the species’ role in the ecosystem of primordial Southern California, thanks to a wall at the museum displaying hundreds of dire wolf skulls extracted from the ooze.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
That’s because the five-to-ten-million-year window in time when this gas had such a primordial composition was so short.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025
After a 30-minute tug of war, finally seeing the bony plates of the prehistoric fish emerge from the murky depths of the Snake feels like uncovering the last surviving creature to slither out of the primordial ooze shortly after the Earth cooled.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Visitors to the La Brea Tar Pits are aware of the species’ role in the ecosystem of primordial Southern California, thanks to a wall at the museum displaying hundreds of dire wolf skulls extracted from the ooze.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
That’s because the five-to-ten-million-year window in time when this gas had such a primordial composition was so short.
—Bruce Dorminey, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for primordial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primordial
Adjective
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Spanning about 30 hectares (74 ac), this ancient landscape has been under the microscope since the 1980s, thanks to pioneering archaeologist Dietrich Mania.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
12 July 2025
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As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Houde said these mammoth animals are a primitive group of proboscideans ('elephantoids') from which modern elephants evolved.—
Joseph J. Kolb,
Fox News,
18 July 2017
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Many are primitive and remote, and don’t have restrooms or water.—
OregonLive.com,
OregonLive.com,
12 July 2017
Adjective
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Restoring the moa would not bring the eagle back but could help at least partly restore the primal New Zealand woodlands.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
8 July 2025
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In this book, scientist Coltan Scrivner acknowledges this most gruesome urge, and provides evidence that it is connected to deep and primal survival instincts.—
Literary Hub
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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As for the chthonic powers who might intrude upon us, the worst must be the Titans, primeval offspring of Gaia and Uranus, Earth and Sky.—
Lewis Hyde,
Harpers Magazine,
18 June 2025
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The limp is the primeval sign, in many cultural myth systems, of autochthony: humans born from the earth, parentless.—
Nicholas Dames,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Taung Child’s remains were found alongside other smaller prey remains and eggshells in what may be a prehistoric raptor’s nest.—
Joshua Rapp Learn,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 July 2025
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The Neumark-Nord site in central Germany is turning out to be a prehistoric goldmine, and not just for bones.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies — a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.—
Brit Morse,
Fortune,
7 July 2025
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More than 400 first responders from over 20 agencies in Kerr County were assisting with the search and rescue, Leitha said earlier Sunday.—
Chandelis Duster,
NPR,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primordial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primordial. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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