main 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of mainnext
as in primary
coming before all others in importance this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

main

2 of 2

noun

ˈmān How to pronounce main (audio)
1
as in power
muscular strength all their might and main could not budge the stalled car

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in continent
one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in core
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts the main of the tree is still healthy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 main
Adjective
Yotova's main challenger is economist Andrei Gyurov, a former deputy governor of the central bank and caretaker prime minister who led the country in the early months of 2026. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 Hundreds of his supporters began gathering on São Paulo’s main thoroughfare to celebrate the victory. — Eléonore Hughes, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
Start by planning the menu, including fall appetizers, mains, desserts, and seasonal drinks—and make sure to finalize the guest list a week out. — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 16 Sep. 2026 Salty from the soy sauce and sweet from the honey, this salmon is beautifully broiled and a great option for a lighter main with lots of flavor. — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for main
Recent Examples of Synonyms for main
  1. primary
  2. power
  3. continent
  4. core
  5. predominant
  6. muscle
  7. mainland
  8. body
Adjective
  • The Heat used Larsson, Portis, Hardaway and Nikola Jovic as its four primary reserves for the third straight game to start the season.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2026
  • One thing most agree on is that the diminishment of competitive seats leads to greater polarization because legislators are only beholden to primary voters.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of primary
Noun
  • Ukrainians are bracing for the bitterly cold months ahead as the recent escalation in Russian attacks targets the power grid to deny civilians heat, light and running water.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Simply put, to stay economically competitive, America needs computing power that matches or beats its adversaries’.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of power
Noun
  • Commonly considered one of the world’s worst invasive species, the green crab has successfully invaded every continent except Antarctica.
    — Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Researchers analyzed data from 19 observational studies involving nearly 16 million people across three continents to evaluate the long-term effects associated with the condition.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of continent
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the MacBook Neo's iPhone-grade chip outperformed Googlebooks’ processors in single-core performance, while losing out on multi-core performance by varying (but overall large) margins.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As that enormous dome thinned through the Holocene, its margin withdrew up onto Baffin Island, and what’s left today is the deflated core of something that was once two miles thick.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of core
Adjective
  • What readers are saying The conversation explores the complex dynamics between small-scale and industrial agriculture, with a predominant focus on the challenges and implications of each approach.
    — Tamar Haspel, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The predominant method entails producers sealing off the vents, which causes temperatures to rise and slowly subject the birds to death via heatstroke.
    — Kenny Torrella, Vox, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of predominant
Noun
  • The intention of peptide users is to have the muscle-building effects of anabolic steroids without the side effects of infertility, oily skin, acne, liver inflammation, and so on.
    — Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Hip dysplasia and muscle atrophy can also prevent animals from completing training.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of muscle
Noun
  • Momentum in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Singapore partly offset the ongoing slowdown in mainland China.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But Bioko island, off mainland Equatorial Guinea, has managed to sharply reduce malaria infections and deaths.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of mainland
Noun
  • Investigators found Amy in a separate area with a ligature around her neck and burns covering up to 30% of her body, according to court documents.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Several different types of peptides are naturally found in the body, like insulin and endorphins.
    — Renée Onque, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of body

Phrases Containing main

Browse Nearby Words

maims
main
mainland
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/main. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All