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
Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Sirens alerted people to seek shelter in and around Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beer Sheba and areas near the country's main nuclear research center, which were targeted by Iranian strikes that injured dozens last weekend.
—Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2026
Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
The restaurant’s menu is printed on the back of a record sleeve, with a list of starters mined from special, one-off dinners Garcia and Huerta host monthly called Kamikaze, and mains rooted in their signature tacos, tortas and burritos.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for main
Adjective
Sirens went off around Israel’s southern city of Beersheba and near Israel’s main nuclear research center as Iran and Hezbollah fired on Israel overnight.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Sirens alerted people to seek shelter in and around Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beer Sheba and areas near the country's main nuclear research center, which were targeted by Iranian strikes that injured dozens last weekend.
—Arkansas Online, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
Dishes range from lobster aguachile or deviled beet eggs to hearty mains like bone marrow short rib pappardelle or shrimp tamales with crispy yuca.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
The restaurant’s menu is printed on the back of a record sleeve, with a list of starters mined from special, one-off dinners Garcia and Huerta host monthly called Kamikaze, and mains rooted in their signature tacos, tortas and burritos.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
Adjective
-
The primary retreat anchors dual bathrooms, a private salon and an oversized dressing room.—
Sandra Barrera,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
But the May 5 Democratic primary election, which pits a progressive newcomer and a longtime political gadfly against an incumbent with strong ties to Indy Democrats, could act as a proxy for voters' feelings about the party establishment.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In a social media post on Monday morning, Kuwait said a service building at a power generation and water desalination plant were damaged in an attack Sunday evening, killing one worker.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In January, another Polymarket account won big by betting that Nicolás Maduro, the President of Venezuela, would soon be out of power.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Kathryn has explored 60-plus countries on six continents while contributing to Architectural Digest, Departures, AFAR, C Magazine, Brides, and Los Angeles Times, among other publications.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The image quickly spread across platforms including X, Facebook and Threads, with users pointing to it as symbolic evidence that the protests reached every continent.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At their core, these cases are centered on allegations of corporate negligence and how tech products are built, by humans, to function.—
Maggie Harrison Dupré,
Futurism,
26 Mar. 2026
-
William Blair downgraded the stock to a hold from buy, citing intense AI competition in its core creative cloud business.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers have also observed promising improvements in metabolic markers and better preservation of lean muscle mass, says Burns.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Peptides, for instance, are druglike chains of amino acids that have been widely promoted by celebrities and influencers as a way to build muscle and look younger, although there’s little science supporting their use.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Repeat customers who rushed to buy Labubus during periods of tight supply helped spike revenue growth in mainland China last year, according to HSBC.—
Elaine Yu,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Kharg Island is less than 20 miles from the mainland, well within rocket, artillery and drone range, according to Emery at University College London.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her body was found at a site along the Trinity River.—
Emerson Clarridge
Updated March 31,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
-
In their filing in Sacramento Superior Court, the residents accuse city officials of violating Measure O, which mandates that interim shelters sit more than 500 feet away from bodies of water or streams.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Television continues to be the predominant medium in India, reaching approximately 745 million individuals weekly.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Dark green is the predominant color in this manicure even though a black shade serves as the base.—
Kara Jillian Brown,
InStyle,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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