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
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Recent Examples of main
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2025
The Bills will very likely want to find someone who can offer more versatility somewhere else while being their main returner, and running back might be the best place to find one.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
For mains, opt for the branzino, cooked perfectly with crispy skin, and the long and plump macaroni are covered in a delicious tomato sauce are irresistible.
—Rana Good, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
These kinds of breaches often happen quietly, exposing large amounts of customer information without touching a company’s main systems.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2025
The Bills will very likely want to find someone who can offer more versatility somewhere else while being their main returner, and running back might be the best place to find one.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
Nibble on crispy pork cheek, pearly mussels, and pumpkin and ricotta tortellini for starters—while mains range from confit chicken leg to hoi sin braised short rib (with Asian slaw and wasabi peas) and The Swan Burger, thick and juicy, with applewood cheddar, onion rings and crispy French fries.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
For mains, opt for the branzino, cooked perfectly with crispy skin, and the long and plump macaroni are covered in a delicious tomato sauce are irresistible.
—Rana Good, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
Training the model may have involved over 20,000 high-end GPUs working in concert—an expense few organizations besides OpenAI and its primary backer, Microsoft, could afford.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Amazon Prime Video debuted as a primary sponsor for his No. 9 team at Talladega.—
Joseph Wolkin,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Hugo saw that something as simple as shoes could be solved with the right approach and insights, cementing his belief in the power of technology to solve real-world problems.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
-
This feature gives you more control, giving you the power to decide what is enough for you.—
Celeste Polanco,
Essence,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Other countries must compete in qualifiers against nations from the same continent, followed by some inter-continental play-offs for certain countries.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
25 Apr. 2025
-
The population of great bustards, Otis tarda, is now down to less than 80 individuals, with some experts estimating the species will go extinct on the African continent by 2036.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Trump has hit multiple records for his first 100 days in office, but the rapidity of his actions also highlights the fragility of relying on presidential action to cement core policies.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
29 Apr. 2025
-
While Republicans broadly support the core tax cut proposals Trump has championed, some have raised concerns about the overall fiscal impact of the package, which by some estimates could add around $5 trillion to the national debt in the next decade.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The two main red grapes here are Syrah and Grenache, with Syrah the predominant variety in the north and Grenache holding first place in the south, where it is also blended with other grapes including Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Cinsault.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
18 Apr. 2025
-
For citizenship behavior, relationship quality was the predominant mediator.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Try it as a dynamic warm-up: Experts now generally recommend warming up the muscles with gentle movement, rather than static stretching.—
The New York Times,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Exercises focusing on stretching and strengthening the calf and foot muscles can help alleviate this pain.—
Tim Petrie, DPT,
Verywell Health,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The strength of Taiwan’s economy last year appeared to relieve him of any political need to rally his nationalist base with fist-shaking actions or rhetoric toward the mainland.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Patrolling a paradise under siege Several hundred miles from the Ecuadorian mainland, the waters off the Galápagos Islands glisten with postcard beauty.—
David Culver,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The ‘world’s greatest deliberative body’ has become synonymous with gridlock.—
John Fund,
National Review,
27 Apr. 2025
-
The disconnect between the body and the disintegrating mind is painful to witness, and even harder for families to reconcile.—
Dr. Sabooh Mubbashar,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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