1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
the primal theme of the essay is toleration of religious diversity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
there was a period of primal idealism after the founding of the republic and before the rise of partisan politics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primal
Yet, there is little place for that primal urge in the modern world.
—
Sandee Lamotte,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
The question, of course, is what we are supposed to do with these bourgeois jeremiads against bourgeois civilization, beyond enjoying them as high-end primal-scream therapy.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Strutting across the stage, hitting little dances, casting sharp looks into the camera, unleashing primal Auto-screams—Jane Remover was confident at Gov Ball.
—
Mano Sundaresan,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
While our money would be on The Last Son of Krypton in a main card matchup, Lobo fights dirty with a level of primal savagery that just might put the Big Blue Boy Scout and his cousin down for a few rounds.
—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for primal
Sandee Lamotte,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
The question, of course, is what we are supposed to do with these bourgeois jeremiads against bourgeois civilization, beyond enjoying them as high-end primal-scream therapy.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Strutting across the stage, hitting little dances, casting sharp looks into the camera, unleashing primal Auto-screams—Jane Remover was confident at Gov Ball.
—
Mano Sundaresan,
Pitchfork,
10 June 2026
While our money would be on The Last Son of Krypton in a main card matchup, Lobo fights dirty with a level of primal savagery that just might put the Big Blue Boy Scout and his cousin down for a few rounds.
—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for primal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primal
Adjective
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Of the 33 schools awarded grants, 19 schools opted for main entrance improvements while 14 chose to modernize their check-in and visitor badging systems.
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India’s main stock index last month outperformed other emerging markets by the most since November, and foreign outflows hit a four-month low.
Adjective
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That verdant vista of a piece of ancient, intricate architecture centered me in storied Osaka and proved a delightfully consistent through line for my stay.
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This phenomenon of gravitational lensing has been used to great effect to study ancient galaxies that would usually be too distant and faint to see when they are gravitationally lensed by foreground galaxy clusters.
Adjective
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The former second-round pick is suddenly one of the Lakers’ primary summer league players and hopes to use the experience as an important stepping stone, building up his game while also establishing a leadership voice.
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Both the primary and extension drive use the standard 1/4-inch hex specification, which, according to the creators, will cover over 95% of random everyday tasks – from bicycle maintenance to small home repairs and furniture assembly.
Adjective
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SpudCell is still primitive, most closely resembling a bacterium.
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While primitive in appearance, the arms kept the device relatively secure on my neck.
Adjective
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The name of the predominant flavor must appear as part of the product name.
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Matthew Harmon of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, representing law enforcement, the predominant users of ALPRs in the area.
Adjective
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This 50-square-mile crescent in the Pacific has the southernmost coral reef in the world and a wealth of wilderness walks that include everything from primeval banyan forests to endangered ground-dwelling birds.
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Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, California Time slows to a primeval pace in the sequoia groves that make up Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where arboreal giants have watched the seasons come and go for more than 2,000 years.
Adjective
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Then Ryan played his part in achieving those goals Sunday, posting a dominant performance in New York.
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The Angels dropped their fifth straight and 11th in 17 games, while Gray’s six-game run of dominant quality starts continues despite an All-Star snub.
Adjective
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Earth-impacting shrapnel from those primordial upheavals may have helped seed our planet with the precursors for life, delivering water and organic compounds from the dark, icy depths of the outer solar system.
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At a time when the Earth was bare, when there were no vertebrates, no trees, no leaves, no flowering plants, and no plants with seeds, millipedes were feeding on decaying mosses, decomposed slime, and primordial gunk.
Cite this Entry
“Primal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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