primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē 
also prə-,
chiefly British ˈprī-mə-rə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
has now become primarily a residential town—
S. P. B. Mais
S. P. B. Mais2
: in the first place : originally
Examples of primarily in a Sentence
the university was primarily an agricultural college when it was founded over two centuries ago
ketchup is primarily made from tomatoes
Recent Examples on the Web
The jobs, primarily servers, clerks, housekeepers, kitchen staff and farm workers, pay between $14.17 and $23.01 an hour.
—Zach Everson, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
On the field, the game is primarily fought on the ground at a time when up-tempo, pass-heavy offensive attacks are in vogue across college and professional football.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Watch as rare white orca is spotted swimming off the California coast Nat Geo drops stunning photos for 2024 'Pictures of the Year': See the images
What is bird flu?
Bird flu is a disease caused by a family of flu viruses primarily transmitted among birds.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
His decision, the person said, stemmed primarily from concerns about his development under Riley and wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for primarily 
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.
Zach Everson, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
On the field, the game is primarily fought on the ground at a time when up-tempo, pass-heavy offensive attacks are in vogue across college and professional football.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Watch as rare white orca is spotted swimming off the California coast Nat Geo drops stunning photos for 2024 'Pictures of the Year': See the images
What is bird flu?
Bird flu is a disease caused by a family of flu viruses primarily transmitted among birds.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
His decision, the person said, stemmed primarily from concerns about his development under Riley and wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for primarily
Dictionary Entries Near primarily
Cite this Entry
“Primarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/primarily. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
primarily
adverb
pri·mar·i·ly
prī-ˈmer-ə-lē
1
: for the most part : chiefly
2
: in the first place : originally
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share