as in main
coming before all others in importance
the cardinal rule of medicine: do no harm
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Recent Examples of cardinal
According to The Knot, one of the cardinal rules of being a good wedding guest is to avoid actions that draw focus away from the couple.
—
Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Even the city’s fire chief, Kristin Crowley, has come under scrutiny, breaking one of the cardinal rules in this country—that firefighters can never be criticized during a disaster.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
But never break the cardinal rule: Don’t break the bank.
—Virginia Van Zanten, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025
The buyei, the spiritual leader, shakes maracas and leads the group members to face each cardinal direction, making their presence known to the ancestors.
—Seth Berry, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Even the city’s fire chief, Kristin Crowley, has come under scrutiny, breaking one of the cardinal rules in this country—that firefighters can never be criticized during a disaster.
—Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
But never break the cardinal rule: Don’t break the bank.
—Virginia Van Zanten, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025
The buyei, the spiritual leader, shakes maracas and leads the group members to face each cardinal direction, making their presence known to the ancestors.
—Seth Berry, The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for cardinal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cardinal
Adjective
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The fest’s main CinemaxX venue still feels state-of-the-art — a genuine movie theater, unlike the makeshift venues used by so many others fests — and a former Imax screen used by the Blue Man Group marks a nice addition.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2025
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Anantara Bo Phut in Samui served as our main exterior entrance and reception area, Anantara Mai Khao in Phuket as the spa, and Rosewood Phuket as the dinner restaurant.—
Jim Halterman,
IndieWire,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Reclaimed white pine flooring by the Hudson Company stands in handsome contrast to board-and-batten paneling in the primary bathroom, where the tub is by Randolph Morris.—
Elizabeth Fazzare,
Architectural Digest,
17 Feb. 2025
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Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The predominant flavors are salt and starch, unattractive in print but deeply comforting on a steaming spoon.—
Bradley Hohulin,
The Indianapolis Star,
19 Feb. 2025
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Miso is a staple ingredient in Japanese cooking and is the predominant flavor in things like miso soup.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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One of the most dominant forces in the chip industry is Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), which manufactures the chips that power phones and laptops and are central to the output of key American AI players like NVIDIA.—
Andrew R. Chow,
TIME,
27 Feb. 2025
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This spring, Avila touched 98 mph in a game and Sisk was dominant with Triple-A Omaha.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Before becoming one of America’s foremost historians, a Pulitzer Prize winner and writer of seminal books on Abraham Lincoln (a basis for the Steven Spielberg film Lincoln), Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Teddy Roosevelt and Johnson, Kearns Goodwin became a White House Fellow under LBJ.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
14 Feb. 2025
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At his death in 1996, he was considered one of the country’s foremost historians of the Black experience in America.—
Jeffrey Boutwell,
Baltimore Sun,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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As principal payments kick in, the yearly amount will spike to $75 million beginning in 2045 and $137 million beginning in 2050, with the bonds paid off in 2055.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
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According to The New York Times, citing former colleagues, Caine was also an associate director for military affairs at the CIA from 2021 to 2024, serving as the principal liaison to the Pentagon and working with the military on several highly classified programs and operations.—
Mark Joseph,
Newsweek,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Maryland trailed 22-15 after the first quarter then trimmed that deficit to just two entering halftime, erasing its slow start by closing the half on a 7-0 run and making its eventual comeback more manageable.—
Taylor Lyons,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Feb. 2025
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For her first appearance in the popular sketch, Carpenter took on Ariana Grande's role as the tone-deaf bestie singing at a couple's vow renewal.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That's because a big tax break that could save you money faces an uncertain and confusing future in the Trump administration.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA TODAY,
24 Feb. 2025
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Tariff threats from the Trump administration were a big worry, not least because of the impossibility of predicting the scale of the possible hit.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to cardinal
Cite this Entry
“Cardinal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cardinal. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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