as in star
the person who has the most important role in a play, movie, or TV show
my cousin is one of the principals in a new sitcom this fall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
our principal reason for coming here today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chief
highest in rank or authority
the principal researcher in the company's chemical division
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of principal
Brittany Pierola Diaz, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
Janine admits that Ava is doing perfectly fine without her job as principal, while Melissa and Gregory ask her for the key to the code.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025
Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 26 Mar. 2025
Valerie Cardozo is the founder and principal designer at CARV Projects in Toronto, Canada.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Noun
For the second year in a row, the five open restrooms are mirrorless, a decision the school’s principal said is an attempt to reduce tardiness and distractions caused by students crowding around mirrors, putting on makeup and touching up their hair.
—Brittany Pierola Diaz, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
Janine admits that Ava is doing perfectly fine without her job as principal, while Melissa and Gregory ask her for the key to the code.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
After returning to the private sector, Beck was recently named the principal deputy assistant administrator in the EPA’s office of chemical safety and pollution prevention.
—Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 26 Mar. 2025
Valerie Cardozo is the founder and principal designer at CARV Projects in Toronto, Canada.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for principal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for principal
Noun
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In this age of TV dominance of a culture that moves on fast, producers are trying to snag stars at the moment of their peak appeal.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
6 Apr. 2025
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Indiana orchard carves stunning Caitlin Clark tribute into corn maze County Line Orchard in Hobart, Indiana, has seen record crowds come to witness its Caitlin Clark corn maze in honor of the WNBA Fever and former Iowa star this Halloween season.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The president has touted these tariffs as a way to help the US government rely less on income taxes as a main form of revenue.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2025
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Sean Penn co-stars as the film’s main villain, a steely-eyed colonel who looked pretty frigging scary in the footage, while Benicio del Toro is DiCaprio’s gun-toting, gonzo comrade.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Context Florida state senator Randy Fine cruised to victory in the 6th Congressional District, while Florida chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis won the race for the state's 1st Congressional District.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
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The scarcity of specifics in recent weeks, and sometimes contrasting messages coming from the White House, have fueled conversations about flexibility between chief marketing officers and media executives, the people said.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Algeria’s western neighbor and primary rival, Morocco, also received its first batch of Akinci drones in February 2025.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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Even when wives are the primary or sole earners, husbands' contributions to housework remain largely unchanged, increasing only slightly when wives are sole earners.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Through them, the Chinese firm has persuaded the president to defend a tool wielded by America’s foremost foreign adversary.—
The Editors,
National Review,
5 Apr. 2025
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Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Tim Pratte,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Since launching his campaign in March, Cuomo has taken a commanding lead in the polls and siphoned some of Adams’s old political coalition.—
David Sivak,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
24 Mar. 2025
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The Big Cat still holds a commanding lead in career earnings at $120,999,166.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 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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Federal agents found photos of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran’s supreme leader that had been deleted in a folder on Alawieh’s cell phone, a source familiar with the case told CNN.—
Andy Rose,
CNN,
20 Mar. 2025
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But this year, the roundball — not the pigskin — reigns supreme.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Principal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/principal. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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