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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
David Phelan, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Kids eat free on Tuesdays, a free bottle of wine accompanies two entrees on Wednesdays and two drinks, two mains and a dessert run customers $85 on date night Thursdays.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025
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
The rear cameras are a 48-megapixel main and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide—both reduced from the 50-megapixel and 48-megapixel cameras on the Pixel 9.
—David Phelan, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Kids eat free on Tuesdays, a free bottle of wine accompanies two entrees on Wednesdays and two drinks, two mains and a dessert run customers $85 on date night Thursdays.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
His primary motive in life is to make money and get laid.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2025
-
The Farm Bill, officially named the Agriculture Improvement Act, is a comprehensive bill passed every five to six years that acts as the primary agricultural and food policy instrument for the federal government.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Natural gas has the opportunity to compete with coal, diesel, and other inefficient power sources across the globe, delivering cleaner and cheaper power.—
Steven Dudash,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Nearly half a million homes and businesses also lost power.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 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
-
Remember: at its core, innovation is about seeing a problem and solving it with a better process, product, or way of doing business.—
Mark Nevins,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Of course, as any grandmother will tell you, those things are important, too, but the core of hospitality is creating a sense of comfort where visitors (and family) feel truly at ease.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The Jewish faith is predominant throughout the musical — references to certain prayers are made, Yiddish phrases are baked into the dialogue, and many Jewish traditions are brought to life on stage.—
Carolina del Busto,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Practical implications In practice, much of the federal government’s day to day functioning will likely remain the same since English is already the predominant language used in the country, experts said.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Building the muscle and reclaiming your power to make things happen only requires a willingness to start.—
Amanda Miller Littlejohn,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Another way to relax your muscles and mind is to take a warm bath without Epsom salts.—
Stephanie Brown,
Verywell Health,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
To put that tally into context, the whole of the U.K. has 10 and the total for mainland China is four.—
Abid Rahman,
The Hollywood Reporter,
18 Mar. 2025
-
The plane was scheduled to fly to La Ceiba airport on the Honduran mainland.—
Joan Humberto Suazo,
USA TODAY,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
How Khris Davis transformed his body to play George Foreman Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Success Stories Beyond Prestige A growing body of research suggests institutional prestige correlates poorly with later career satisfaction and success.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share