1
: physical strength : force
—used in the phrase with might and main
The next instant we were away down the river, clawing with might and main to keep out of the woods.—
Mark Twain
Mark Twain3
: the chief part : essential point
they are in the main well-trained
4
: a pipe, duct, or circuit which carries the combined flow of tributary branches of a utility system
Synonyms
Noun
Adjective
Examples of main in a Sentence
Noun
My radio runs either off batteries or off the mains.
Turn off the water at the mains.
Adjective
Speed is the main advantage of this approach.
The company's main office is located in New York.
driving down the main road
This dish can be served as a main course or appetizer.
And now for the main event of the evening!
Recent Examples on the WebKarla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2024
Much of a fun – and sometimes downright hilarious – Adult Swim studio focus on Thursday involved Adult Swim bosses pitching the audience – made up in its main of prestige French animation school students – of the company’s love of and ability to handle first-time animation full series creators.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 15 June 2024
Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 22 June 2024
There's a slim zipper compartment specifically for my laptop, as well as a main zipper compartment for the rest of my gear.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for main 
Noun
The Bottom Line Fresh or frozen cherries work beautifully in an array of savory salads and mains, as well as sweet cherry desserts.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2024
Much of a fun – and sometimes downright hilarious – Adult Swim studio focus on Thursday involved Adult Swim bosses pitching the audience – made up in its main of prestige French animation school students – of the company’s love of and ability to handle first-time animation full series creators.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 15 June 2024
Adjective
That’s the new branding for the East Santa Clara Street Business Association, which stretches along one of the city’s main arteries just east of downtown.
—Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 22 June 2024
There's a slim zipper compartment specifically for my laptop, as well as a main zipper compartment for the rest of my gear.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for main
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'main.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near main
Cite this Entry
“Main.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/main. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
main
2 of 2 adjective1
: chief entry 1 sense 2, principal
the main idea
2
: pure sense 3, sheer
by main force
3
: being a clause that is capable of standing alone as a simple sentence but is part of a larger sentence that includes a subordinate clause or another main clause
mainly
adverb
Geographical Definition
Main
geographical name
ˈmīn 
ˈmān
river 325 miles (523 kilometers) long in south central Germany rising in northern Bavaria in the Fichtelgebirge and flowing west into the Rhine River
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