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Definitions

in the main

ADVERB
chiefly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
especially essentially largely mostly predominantly principally
STRONG
mainly primarily
WEAK
above all in general in the first place on the whole overall usually
Antonyms
WEAK
unimportantly
ADVERB
habitually
Synonyms
STRONGEST
commonly customarily
WEAK
as a rule as is the custom as is usual as usual by and large consistently frequently generally mainly more often than not most often mostly naturally normally now and again now and then occasionally oft
ADVERB
mainly
Synonyms
STRONG
chiefly primarily principally
WEAK
above all essentially first and foremost generally in general largely most of all mostly on the whole overall predominantly substantially to the greatest extent usually
Antonyms
STRONG
secondarily
ADVERB
principally
Synonyms
STRONGEST
basically chiefly first and foremost generally importantly largely mostly notably particularly predominantly
STRONG
primarily
WEAK
above all before anything else cardinally dominantly eminently especially essentially first of all for the most part fundamentally in the first place materially peculiarly preeminently prevailingly prevalently substantially superlatively supremely to a great degree universally vitally
Antonyms
WEAK
secondarily trivially
ADVERB
routinely
Synonyms
STRONGEST
commonly consistently customarily frequently generally habitually normally occasionally often ordinarily regularly sometimes typically
WEAK
as a rule as is the custom as is usual as usual by and large mainly more often than not most often mostly naturally now and again now and then on the whole once and again per usual
Antonyms
STRONGEST
infrequently never rarely seldom sometimes uncommonly
ADVERB
substantially
Synonyms
STRONGEST
considerably essentially extensively heavily largely materially really
WEAK
in essence in fact in reality in substance mainly much
Antonyms
STRONGEST
slightly
WEAK
insignificantly
ADVERB
typically
Synonyms
STRONGEST
commonly consistently customarily frequently generally mostly naturally normally occasionally often ordinarily regularly routinely sometimes
WEAK
as a rule as is the custom as is usual as usual by and large habitually mainly more often than not most often now and again now and then on the whole once and again per usual
Antonyms
STRONGEST
infrequently never rarely seldom sometimes uncommonly
ADVERB
usually
Synonyms
STRONGEST
commonly consistently customarily frequently generally mostly normally occasionally ordinarily regularly routinely sometimes
WEAK
as a rule as is the custom as is usual as usual by and large habitually mainly more often than not most often now and again now and then on the whole once and again
Antonyms
STRONGEST
infrequently never rarely seldom sometimes uncommonly
WEAK
exceptionally unusually

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She imagines a future in which one of her daughters lives in the main house, and she and her husband live in the ADU.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

At lunchtime on a recent weekday, businesspeople in suits sat at white-tablecloth tables in the main dining room, where the walls are wrapped in cherry-wood wainscoting and heavy blue curtains frame the windows.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, Psyche ranks as the 10th-most massive asteroid and the largest known object made primarily of metal, measuring about 140 miles across.

From Science Daily • Mar. 17, 2026

A second lift will be installed in the main foyer to improve access to the concert hall theatre, and there will be a new multi-faith room and extra toilets.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Watson carried the deep-sea lead forward, and the other men followed, each with fakes of the line coiled in his hand—Collins on the cathead, Sandy in the fore chains, and Jensen in the main chains.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham