mainly

adverb

ˈmān-lē How to pronounce mainly (audio)
Definition of mainlynext
as in mostly
for the most part you mainly need to focus on improving your golf swing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mainly Japanese laborers had been migrating to Hawaii since the 1890s, mainly to work on sugar plantations. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026 Another isolated shower or storm chance arrives Sunday, mainly across southern Minnesota, but most of the weekend should remain dry. — Joseph Dames, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Chase is the call for me, mainly because of Nacua’s escalated injury risk. — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Roman science consisted mainly of improving technologies in civil engineering (water and road systems) and warfare, compiling medical knowledge, and developing tools for specialized uses. — Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mainly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mainly
  1. mostly
  2. primarily
  3. chiefly
  4. largely
  5. predominantly
  6. principally
  7. basically
  8. generally
Adverb
  • Mastering the clipping economy Some of Ossoff’s newfound fans know him mostly from clips — one or two-minute-long videos that travel wide and far on social media platforms.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But critics say the president has not met those expectations and has become unpopular among many of Nigeria's mostly young voters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of mostly
Adverb
  • The duties also apply to kraftliner, which is a strong paperboard, primarily used in the outer layer of cardboard boxes.
    — Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The city began planning the renovation of 16th Street in 2007, primarily attributing the increasing maintenance costs of its granite paver surface as the need for it.
    — Logan Smith, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • Today, other drugs are more often deployed, chiefly benzodiazepines or the benzodiazepine Clonazepam, which also render a person zombie-like and more reliably submissive.
    — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond overall car performance, a pressing concern for Cadillac this year has been reliability, chiefly recurring brake overheating issues (below).
    — Luke Smith, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of chiefly
Adverb
  • The economic outlook is also largely positive despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Other sailors described to CNN conditions unlike their previous deployments, largely because of the war, which stopped the ship from making stops at friendly ports.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of largely
Adverb
  • Another complaint has been that the newspaper has been mostly an aggregator of news instead of providing predominantly original news.
    — Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The participants were predominantly White healthcare professionals, meaning the findings need to be confirmed across diverse populations, the team acknowledged.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of predominantly
Adverb
  • Arsenal and Galatasaray have been in dialogue over several players, principally Martinelli — but there are no active negotiations over a potential transfer for Osimhen.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Trade along the route remains tiny compared with major throughways like the Suez Canal and is dominated by Russian oil and gas, which – along with a few other LNG buyers in Asia – principally flow to China.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of principally
Adverb
  • Lee Johnson After I got sacked from Fleetwood Town in 2023, I was basically cancelled in a football sense.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Its footprint is still basically square, so the shape doesn’t waste much floor space.
    — Evan Russum, Architectural Digest, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of basically
Adverb
  • If the patient is dosed less than what’s on the label, drugmakers generally get less money.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Denver’s elite offensive line and generally healthy offensive environment only boost the breakout appeal.
    — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of generally

Browse Nearby Words

mainlands
mainly
main man
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Cite this Entry

“Mainly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mainly. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of mainly for Spanish Speakers

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