1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primal theme of the essay is toleration of religious diversity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
there was a period of primal idealism after the founding of the republic and before the rise of partisan politics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primal
The invisible force is a powerful, primal motivator.
—
Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2025
There’s a simple yet primal excitement for taking down beasts that resemble dragons and dinosaurs, which coexist with wildly distinct creatures outside the usual role-playing norms, such as the puffy bat-like Paolumu that floats in the air like a balloon.
—Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2025
Adria had a primal, violent feeling of losing her place, falling away from the course.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Our thoughts untangle against its glow, lose the constraints of language, become primal.
—Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 6 Mar. 2025
There’s a simple yet primal excitement for taking down beasts that resemble dragons and dinosaurs, which coexist with wildly distinct creatures outside the usual role-playing norms, such as the puffy bat-like Paolumu that floats in the air like a balloon.
—Diego Argüello, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2025
Adria had a primal, violent feeling of losing her place, falling away from the course.
—Daniel D'addario, Variety, 17 Feb. 2025
Our thoughts untangle against its glow, lose the constraints of language, become primal.
—Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for primal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal
Adjective
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Everybody plays numerous parts, assigned without regard to gender (there’s even a cameo for Fleming), but the anchors are Cumming’s Cholmondeley, the nerd who came up the audacious idea, and Hodgson’s Montagu, the operation’s main manager and salesman.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2025
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The group seized South Kivu’s main airport, severing the Congolese army's final resupply route.—
Emmet Livingstone,
The Dial,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Perseverance discovered this rock on March 11 on the rim of the Jezero Crater, an ancient lakebed that the rover has been exploring since 2021 for signs of past microbial life.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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In Live Fruit Flies By Ian Randall Deputy Science Editor Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 Paleontologists have discovered a disturbing new species of ancient wasp that restrained its prey using its Venus flytrap-like abdomen before laying eggs in the victim.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 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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His primary motive in life is to make money and get laid.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2025
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Mulgrew began his career at Glentoran, Linfield’s primary Belfast rivals.—
Colin Millar,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The work recalls a kind of primeval decadence, in the best sense of that word.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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These places maintain the largest amount of intact primeval forest and the highest populations of bears, wolves and lynx in all of Europe.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For example, take Maika’s hunger, which is primordial, terrifying, and magnificent.—
Tiffany Leigh,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
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However, the researchers are not yet ruling out the possibility that at least some of the water on Earth may be primordial in origin.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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The bear's remains provide a glimpse into the region's prehistoric fauna and climatic conditions.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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These megafauna ate prehistoric avocados whole, spreading the pits—and, as a consequence, the fruits—across the region.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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