Cue cards are used primarily on television to help the actors remember their lines.
Source: tatoeba (39250)
Primarily
/ˈpɹaɪməɹəli/
Synonyms for "primarily" (140 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (28)
Adverb(8 words)
chieflyin the first placemainlyprincipallyasymptoticallycentrallyelectromagnetically dominantelementally
a fortioriab initioab ovoaborigineaboveabove allall the moreat bottomat firstat heartat the coreat the startau fondbasicallybefore everythingchieflydominantlyespeciallyessentially
Adjective(1 words)
early land plant
Strong matches (42)
evenever sofirstfirst and foremostfirst of allfirst thingfirstlyfor the most partforemostfrom the beginningfundamentallygenerallyin chiefin essencein itselfin substancein the beginningin the mainindeedinitially
Show 4 more words
Adverb(4 words)
Adjective(2 words)
foremosthighest animal label
Noun(9 words)
matter mostmattered mostmore introductorymore main pointmost animal kingdommost basic quantitymost catalog ordermost chemistry homeworkmost colonial history
Verb(1 words)
matters most
Determiner(2 words)
most art movementmost combined energy
Related words (70)
Adverb(5 words)
Noun(29 words)
most community-servicemost conserved regionmost criticallymost data copyingmost determiningmost essentialmost essential datamost fall engagement dipmost french itemsmost importantmost importantlymost introductorymost management-team orientedmost massive galaxymost model organismsmost of allmost of themost of the timemost policy movemost portuguese class
Show 9 more words
most significantlymost spanish language artsmost state-levelmost substantiallymost third-estatemost three-digitmost written language developmentswedish mestwhat mattered most
Determiner(20 words)
most copyingmost criminal-codemost curriculum areamost first-languagemost key-pointmost lab datamost loanwordmost marine invertebratemost math worksheetsmost mayan traditionsmost non greek lettermost number sensemost piano duetmost school communitymost seedling thinningmost water-systemmost watering canmost written lawmost written-languagethe matter most
mostlynever sono endon the wholeoriginallyoverallparticularlypeculiarlyper sepredominantlyprimitivelyprimoprincipallystill moresubstantiallyyea
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: chiefly, in the first place, mainly, principally, a fortiori.
- Sentence evidence is available for primarily, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "primarily".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "primarily"
Keep "primarily" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "primarily" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "primarily", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "primarily" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesadverbmanner adverb
More specific
5 entriesbefore anything elsecentral usefirst and foremostmain factorprimary aspect
Collocations
6 entriesprimarily becauseprimarily due toprimarily focused onprimarily intended toprimarily responsible forprimarily used for
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
This dictionary is primarily intended for high school students.
Source: tatoeba (58832)
What makes the Japanese unique is primarily their belief that they are unique.
Source: tatoeba (281700)
We suffer primarily not from our vices or our weaknesses, but from our illusions.
Source: tatoeba (418411)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "primarily"?
Closest matches include chiefly, in the first place, mainly, principally, a fortiori.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "primarily"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.