mainly
- 01 B1 Intermediate
mostly; used to talk about the most important part of something or the most common situation.
principally or for the most part; used to identify the primary factor, reason, or constituent in a set.
Simple“The crowd at the music festival was mainly made up of teenagers.”
In context“The local economy relies mainly on seasonal tourism, which leaves many residents seeking alternative employment during the winter months.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
with great strength or power.
with great force, vigour, or intensity.
Simple“The knights fought mainly against the invaders to protect their land.”
In context“In the ancient chronicles, the hero is described as striking mainly at his foes until the shield itself shattered under the pressure.”
UsageIn modern English, this sense has been entirely replaced by 'forcefully' or 'vigorously'.
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage mainly apply · mainly base · mainly cause
From Middle English maynly; equivalent to main + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.