# predominantly

/ˌpɹɪˈdɑmənəntˌɫi/ (US) · /pɹɪdˈɒmɪnəntli/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adverb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/predominantly
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

mostly or mainly. You use this to say that one thing is more common or important than everything else in a group.

For teachers: for the most part; mainly or mostly. Used to indicate that a specific quality or group constitutes the majority of a whole.

## Examples

- The audience is predominantly young people.
- The local economy is predominantly based on tourism, though some small farms still operate in the hills.
- While the city is becoming more diverse, the northern districts remain predominantly residential, consisting of single-family homes built during the mid-century expansion.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The predominantly of students are local." but "The majority of students are local." — Learners sometimes confuse the adverb 'predominantly' with the noun 'majority' or 'predominance'.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the adjective or noun phrase it modifies, or after the verb 'to be'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.