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Definitions

mainly

[meyn-lee] / ˈmeɪn li /
ADVERB
for the most part
Synonyms
STRONG
chiefly primarily principally
WEAK
above all essentially first and foremost generally in general in the main largely most of all mostly on the whole overall predominantly substantially to the greatest extent usually
Antonyms
STRONG
secondarily

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.

Changing the circuit's settings can influence the result, but mainly because the final layers continue to play an active role.

From Science Daily • Apr. 6, 2026

"We are seeing a gradual but important shift from places being understood mainly as seasonal visitor destinations, to places that can support year-round economic activity, social participation and knowledge exchange," he said.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

No less than half of the silver is used in industry, mainly for electronics, solar panels, and medical applications.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

The Chinese pharmaceutical company’s strong 2025 results was mainly driven by a surge in innovative product sales and collaboration revenue, the analysts note.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Dessert consists mainly of a gargantuan tiered cake shaped to resemble circus tents and frosted in stripes, the filling within a bright shock of raspberry cream.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.