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main

main

∞ 1.0
Most important or central in a situation
  • adjective
  • /meɪn/
: principal
  • The main goal of our project is to increase community engagement.
  • main effect
  • main character
  • main reason

Then we come to the main room here.

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Examples

  • Now let's move into the main part of my glam room.

  • So I'm going to talk today about four main problems here.

  • Then we come to the main room here.

  • The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.

  • And then we walk in and here is the main living space.

  • Come in and this is like the main bedroom.

  • All this taking place inside our main building?

  • The most pressing matters are in the main stage.

  • We were not sure which was the main exit, and so we followed the crowds.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The following issues were agreed upon as the main problems confronting the inmates and workers:

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

major
vsmain
∞ 1.0

Very serious or important

focuses on being most important rather than on magnitude or seriousness
chief
vsmain
991 3.2

The main thing that matters most

emphasizes general primary importance rather than formal ranking
primary
vsmain
691 2.5

Being most important or basic

covers general chief importance rather than sequence or origin
central
vsmain
493 2.1

Very important and needed for something to work

means principal importance but not necessarily the structural centre
master
vsmain
240 4.2

Most important or main

means chief importance but without implying control or leadership
principal
vsmain
168 2.8

Most important person or thing in a situation

focuses on being the most important without stressing authority
foremost
vsmain
154 4.2

Most important in a group or area

means central importance without stressing public prominence
premier
vsmain
64 4.5

Most important or best in a group of similar things

relates to importance rather than quality or excellence
paramount
vsmain
45 6.7

More important than anything else

indicates top importance but not necessarily absolute superiority
cardinal
vsmain
  • Formal
21 5.0

Very important and basic to how something works

highlights being most important without stressing foundational role
uppermost
vsmain
5 4.4

In the most important place in your mind

is important in general rather than mainly about visibility
capital
vsmain
  • Formal
4 4.0

More important than other things

is the common term for leading importance rather than high consequence

Antonyms

497 2.4

Not very important or serious

243 3.5

Less important than the main thing or coming after it

Idioms

8 3.7

In most cases

Compounds

90 2.3

A town's main road where most shops, restaurants, and businesses are located

The most important person in a story like a book or movie

45 3.0

The most important event in a show or public gathering

40 1.1

A big road that carries most traffic and connects towns

36 1.3

The main dish served after a starter and before dessert

main man
  • Informal
31 6.9

A person who others trust most in a group or situation

27 1.4

The main road in a town where most shops and businesses are

Main Street
  • Literature
20 4.4

The people and life of small towns, often seen as traditional and focused on money

water main
  • Specialized
16 2.6

A large underground pipe that carries water to buildings

15 1.5

A central building where managers run an organization

12 3.0

The most important place at an event where the main shows happen

10 3.2

The most important railway route used by trains

main drag
  • Informal
8 5.1

A street in a town where most shops and restaurants are

gas main
  • Specialized
5 3.2

A big pipe that carries gas to homes and buildings

The most important point someone makes in a discussion or essay

main deck
  • Specialized
3 5.0

The top covered deck that runs the full length of a large ship

sewer main
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A large underground pipe that carries dirty water from buildings to a treatment plant

main file
  • Specialized
1 3.9

A central computer document that holds official records for a project

1 3.4

The most important idea in a discussion or text

main rotor
  • Specialized
1 4.5

A large set of spinning blades on a helicopter that lifts it into the air

main clause
  • Specialized
1 3.2

A part of a sentence that can stand alone as a complete sentence

coup de main
  • Jargon
1 9.9

A sudden surprise attack on a place by soldiers

electric main
  • Specialized
1 4.3

A large cable or line that carries electricity from a power station to homes

main yard
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A long pole across a ship with square sails that holds the main sail

main course
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A large square sail set on a ship's main mast to catch the wind

main diagonal
  • Specialized
1 5.8

The line of numbers in a square table from the top left to the bottom right

main-topmast
  • Specialized
1 9.9

The upper part of a ship's main mast that holds sails

main-topsail
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A sail above the mainsail on the main mast of a ship

A large city in central Germany that is an important banking and trade centre

6.0

The word shown at the top of a dictionary page to find information

A strong front light on a car used when no other cars come because it can blind drivers

8.5

Thinking you are the most important person in most situations

riser main
  • Specialized
7.2

A vertical pipe in a building that carries water or gas to different floors

How Important

paramount
45 6.7
main
∞ 1.0
major
∞ 1.0
important
∞ 1.0
significant
∞ 2.5
notable
114 3.7

Surface Forms

main positive

Etymology

Main comes from an old English word mægen that meant 'strength' or 'power'. So something main is the strongest or most important thing.