Primarily Meaning

UK /praɪˈmɛrɪli/
US /praɪˈmɛrɪli/
Word Definition
primarily meaning

Primarily Definition & Usage

adverb

For the most part; mainly or chiefly; to the greatest extent.

Examples

  • "The conference is primarily focused on climate change and its global impacts."
  • "His job is primarily to oversee the budget and allocate resources."
  • "The issue is primarily a matter of personal preference, not policy."
  • "The team was primarily concerned with meeting the project deadline."
  • "She is primarily known for her work in environmental activism."
adverb

Mostly, but not exclusively; primarily indicating a major role or influence.

Examples

  • "The success of the campaign was primarily due to strategic planning."
  • "The experiment was primarily concerned with testing the hypothesis."
  • "The region's economy is primarily based on agriculture."
  • "Our research primarily focuses on the effects of social media on youth."
  • "The legislation is primarily intended to address healthcare reform."

Cultural Context

The word 'primarily' is derived from the Latin 'primarius', meaning 'of the first rank or importance'. It is widely used in both informal and formal settings to describe the main purpose or characteristic of something. While it can apply to anything from professional roles to personal preferences, it often denotes a principal factor in a broader set of circumstances.

The Focus of the Future

Story

The Focus of the Future

In a bustling city filled with the hum of innovation, Maria found herself at the center of a critical decision. Her team was tasked with designing a new software application for a global non-profit. As the lead developer, her role was primarily to ensure the system met the needs of the user base, which spanned across several countries with diverse needs. Maria sat at her desk, looking over the user data collected from the past few months. The project was primarily focused on improving accessibility for people with disabilities, but Maria knew there were other important factors to consider. She had to ensure that the software was user-friendly, fast, and scalable, but these secondary concerns couldn’t overshadow the primary mission. Her colleague John walked over, reviewing the project timeline. "We need to prioritize accessibility, but we also have to be mindful of the scalability of the platform," he said. Maria nodded, agreeing that while accessibility was primarily their concern, they couldn’t ignore the technical demands of the platform. Later that week, the team held a meeting with the non-profit's board members. The discussion centered around the main goals of the project. The director of the non-profit, Lisa, spoke passionately about the organization's primary mission: improving the lives of those most in need. Maria, however, had to balance this with her own team's priorities. While their work was primarily about the mission, they needed to be pragmatic about how the software would function in the real world. As the meeting wrapped up, Maria reflected on the conversation. She realized that, while accessibility was the primary goal, the success of the project would depend on how well they balanced that with the other important features. In her mind, the primary focus had to remain clear, but they couldn’t forget the larger context of the project. The project moved forward, and Maria’s team continued to navigate the balance between their primary goal and the practicalities of the software's design. In the end, they launched a platform that met both the nonprofit’s needs and the technical challenges that arose. Maria knew that the success of the project came from staying focused on their primary mission, but also remaining flexible enough to address other critical needs.

The Focus of the Future