In my understanding, Robinson treats this element as secondary.
Source: tatoeba (252049)
Secondary
/ˈsɛkənˌdɛɹi/
Synonyms for "secondary" (374 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (75)
accessoryaccidentaccidentaladdendumadditionadditionaladjunctadscititiousadventitiousadvocateagentalter egoalternatealternativeambidextrousamicus curiaeanalogyancillaryappendageappurtenance
Show 36 more words
appurtenantascititiousassistantassociateattorneyauxiliarybackupbackup manbifacialbifoldbiformbilateralbinarybinatebiparousbivalentborrowedcasualchampionchangechangelingchromatic circlechromatic spectrumchromaticity diagramcircumstantialcogcollateralcolor circlecolor cyclecolor indexcolor mixture curvecolor solidcolor spectrumcolor systemcolor trianglecoming
Adjective(8 words)
Noun(9 words)
ancillary objectiveasstauxiliary verbbackground featurebackgroundingbackup copy filebackup filebetabottom tier
Adverb(1 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (112)
commoncommonalitycommonaltycomparisoncomplementary colorconduplicateconsequentcontingencycontingentcopiedcopycounterfeitcovertcreaturedemeaningdemitintdependentdeputyderivationalderivative
Show 77 more words
deriveddinkydisadvantageddisomatousdoubledouble-faceddualdummydupleduplexduplicateemployeeequalequivalentersatzeventualexchangeexecutive officerexponentextrafakefeatherfeathersfigureheadfill-infinalflunkyfollowerfortuitousfull colorfundamental colorsgeminategeminatedghostghostwriterhacklehalf tinthalftonehappenstancehelperhoi polloihue cyclehumbleimitatedimitationin the shadeincidentalindirectinessentialinferiorinfra diginsignificantjanus likejanus-likejuniorlastlesslesserlieutenantlightweightlittlelocumlocum tenenslourlowlow prioritylow-prioritylowerlower classlower orderslowlymailmakeshiftmarginalmassesmaxwell trianglemere chance
Verb(1 words)
Adjective(9 words)
delegatedderivative groupderivedderived formdiminishedjunior-gradelower-rankinglowlymain academic subject
Noun(5 words)
Related words (187)
metamermetaphormetonymyminormockmodestmonochromemunsell scalenext best thingno great shakesnonessentialnot-selfof no accountof no consequenceof no matterof no significanceordinaryotheroutsideparanymph
Show 119 more words
pawnperipheralpersonnelphonypinchpinch hitterpleaderplumagepoor relationprimaryprimary colorprocuratorprovisionalproxypure colorreliefreplacementrepresentativereservereservesresultantright hand manright-hand manringerscrubsecondsecond fiddlesecond in commandsecond ranksecond stringsecondary colorsecondhandservantservilesidesignsmallsmall frysmall timesmall-frysmall-timesolar spectrumsparesparesspectral colorspectrumspectrum colorspeculumstand instand-instopgapsubsubalternsubjectsubordinatesubsequentsubservientsubsidiarysubstituentsubstitutesubstitutionsuccedaneumsuperaddedsuperadditionsuperfluoussupersedersupervenientsupplantersupplementsupplementalsupplementarysupportingsupportivesurrogatesymbolsynecdochetemporarytentativetertiarytertiary colorthird rankthird stringthird stringertokentributarytwintwinnedtwo facedtwo plytwo sidedtwo-facedtwo-leveltwo-plytwo-sidedtwo-storytwofoldultimateunderunderlingunderprivilegedunderstrapperunderstudyunessentialunimportantunoriginalutilityutility manutility playervicarvicar generalvicariousvicevice presidentvice-presidentvice-regentvicegerentvulgaryes manyes-man
Adjective(28 words)
minor aspectminor effectminor objectiveminor pointminor shoveminor statusnoncrucialnonessential materialnonexperimental analysisperipheral conceptperipheral moduleperipheral townpettysecond rank statussecondary circuitsecondary coilsecondary windingsecondhandside topicside-issue example
Show 8 more words
smaller numbersubalternsubordinatesubordinate culturesubsidiarysupplementary feeding groundsupporting roleunimportant person
Verb(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: accessory, accident, accidental, addendum, addition.
- Sentence evidence is available for secondary, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse, wordnet, 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 "secondary".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "secondary"
Keep "secondary" 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 "secondary" 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 "secondary", 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 "secondary" 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
14 entriesMore specific
15 entriesadministrative ruleancillary functionauxiliary deviceauxiliary systembackup systemdelegated regulationimplementing guidelineredundant unitsecondary analysissecondary coilsecondary datasecondary pathsecondary sourcesecondary windingsubsidiary process
Collocations
11 entriessecondary analysissecondary circuitsecondary containmentsecondary datasecondary effectsecondary endpointsecondary power supplysecondary sidesecondary sourcesecondary systemsecondary winding
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
25 entriesShowing 16 of 25 words.
Translations
4 translations across 4 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- помощен adj (acting by deputation)
Dutch
1 entries- plaatsvervangend adj (acting by deputation)
Polish
1 entries- pomocniczy adj (acting by deputation)
Spanish
1 entries- suplente adj (acting by deputation)
Sample sentences
21 total sentences available.
Social relationships are secondary to this business.
Source: tatoeba (265353)
Must the woman always play the secondary role?
Source: tatoeba (267312)
Secondary education has two sides.
Source: tatoeba (277548)
Showing 4 of 21 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "secondary"?
Closest matches include accessory, accident, accidental, addendum, addition.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "secondary"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.