Main — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /ˈmān/

Meaning & Definition of Main

Main (noun)

  1. physical strength, force —used in the phrase with might and main
  2. mainland
  3. high sea

Main (adjective)

  1. chief, principal
  2. fully exerted, sheer
  3. of or relating to a broad expanse (as of sea)

Main (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. coming before all others in importance

    "this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary"

    similar: arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, master, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign, supreme
    related: distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned
    opposite: last, least
    near: inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary

Main (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. muscular strength

    "all their might and main could not budge the stalled car"

    similar: beef, brawn, muscle, thew
    related: force, might, potency, power, puissance, sinew, energy, vigor
    near: impotence, impotency, weakness, debilitation, debility, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, frailness, frailty, infirmity

  2. one of the great divisions of land on the globe or the main part of such a division

    "islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies"

    similar: continent, landmass, mainland
    related: subcontinent, supercontinent
    near: island, isle, islet, atoll, barrier reef, cay, coral reef, key, cape, headland, peninsula, promontory

  3. the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts

    "the main of the tree is still healthy"

    similar: body, brunt, bulk, chief, core, generality, heft (archaic), mass, staple, weight
    related: majority, aggregate, amount, entirety, quantum, sum, sum total, total, totality, whole, bottom, essence, essentiality, marrow, meat, nature, pith, quintessence, root, soul, stuff, substance, center, heart, hub, kernel, middle, nucleus, nut, seat, affair, argument, burden, crux, focus, gist, nub, pitch, point, purport, matter, motif, subject, text, theme, topic
    near: accessory, adjunct, appendage, extension, offshoot, component, constituent, element, ingredient, division, part, piece, section, segment, angle, aspect, facet, feature, quality, side

Related Entry: Main Street (noun)

Main Street is a different word from Main. The synonyms below are for Main Street, not for main.

  1. as in high street

    similar: high street (British), through street, backstreet, branch, bystreet, byway, crossroad, secondary road, shunpike, side road, side street, corniche, switchback, alley, alleyway, beltway, bypass, parkway, ring road (chiefly British), circle, lane, laneway (British), mews (chiefly British), place, autobahn, autoroute, autostrada, dual carriageway (chiefly British), interstate, motorway (chiefly British), superhighway, close (chiefly British), cul-de-sac, dead end, causeway

Related Entry: Main Streets (noun)

Main Streets is a different word from Main. The synonyms below are for Main Streets, not for main.

  1. as in high streets

    similar: high streets (British), through streets, backstreets, branches, bystreets, byways, crossroads, secondary roads, shunpikes, side roads, side streets, corniches, switchbacks, alleys, alleyways, beltways, bypasses, parkways, ring roads (chiefly British), circles, lanes, laneways (British), mews (chiefly British), places, autobahns, autoroutes, autostradas, dual carriageways (chiefly British), interstates, motorways (chiefly British), superhighways, closes (chiefly British), cul-de-sacs, dead ends, causeways

Related Entry: Main man (noun)

Main man is a different word from Main. The synonyms below are for main man, not for main.

  1. as in figure, big shot

    similar: big boy, big cheese, bigfoot, biggie, big gun, big shot, big wheel, bigwig, fat cat, figure, heavy, heavyweight, honcho, kahuna, mover and shaker, nabob, nawab, notable, personage, pooh-bah, supremo (chiefly British), VIP, baron, captain, czar, king, lion, lord, magnate, mogul, monarch, Napoleon, prince, tycoon, celebrity, personality, star, superstar, deity, demigod, god
    opposite: half-pint, lightweight, small-timer, inferior, subordinate, underling, nobody, nothing, zero

  2. as in brother, sister

    similar: blood brother, brother, sister, associate, cohort, colleague, companion, fellow, hearty, hobnobber, partner, peer, sport, abettor, accomplice, ally, collaborator, confederate, acquaintance, pen pal, alter ego, amigo, buddy, chum, compadre, comrade, confidant, confidante, crony, familiar, friend, intimate, mate (chiefly British), musketeer, pal, benefactor, supporter, sympathizer, well-wisher, friendly
    opposite: enemy, foe, adversary, antagonist, competitor, opponent, rival, archenemy, nemesis

Related Entry: Main men (noun)

Main men is a different word from Main. The synonyms below are for main men, not for main.

  1. as in figures, big shots

    similar: big boys, big cheeses, bigfeet, biggies, big guns, big shots, big wheels, bigwigs, fat cats, figures, heavies, heavyweights, honchos, kahunas, movers and shakers, nabobs, nawabs, notables, personages, pooh-bahs, supremos (chiefly British), VIPs, barons, captains, czars, kings, lions, lords, magnates, moguls, monarchs, Napoleons, princes, tycoons, celebrities, personalities, stars, superstars, deities, demigods, gods
    opposite: half-pints, lightweights, small-timers, inferiors, subordinates, underlings, nobodies, zeros

  2. as in brothers, sisters

    similar: blood brothers, brothers, sisters, associates, cohorts, colleagues, companions, fellows, hearties, hobnobbers, partners, peers, sports, abettors, accomplices, allies, collaborators, confederates, acquaintances, pen pals, alter egos, amigos, buddies, chums, compadres, comrades, confidantes, confidants, cronies, familiars, friends, intimates, mates (chiefly British), musketeers, pals, benefactors, supporters, sympathizers, well-wishers, friendlies
    opposite: enemies, foes, adversaries, antagonists, competitors, opponents, rivals, archenemies, nemeses

Related Entry: Coup de main (noun)

Coup de main is a different word from Main. The synonyms below are for coup de main, not for main.

  1. the act or action of setting upon with force or violence

    "the Continental Army's attack on the British-Hessian encampment at Trenton, New Jersey, ranks as one of the most brilliant coups de main of the war"

    similar: aggression, assault, attack, attempt, blitz, blitzkrieg, charge, descent, offense, offensive, onset, onslaught, raid, rush, strike
    related: ambuscade, ambush, counteraggression, counterassault, counterattack, counteroffensive, counterstrike, sally, sortie, envelopment, flanking, breakthrough, foray, incursion, invasion, pillage, ravage, sack, air raid, bombardment, bombing, siege, storm, barrage, cannonade, fusillade, hail, salvo, volley, whammy
    near: defense, defensive, guard, shield, opposition, resistance, protection, security, shelter

Related Entry: With might and main (phrase)

With might and main is a different word from Main. The synonyms below are for with might and main, not for main.

  1. in a vigorous and forceful manner

    "They scrubbed with might and main but couldn't get the stains out of the carpet."

    similar: dynamically, energetically, explosively, firmly, forcefully, forcibly, hard, mightily, muscularly, powerfully, roundly, stiffly, stoutly, strenuously, strongly, sturdily, vigorously, like gangbusters, to beat the band, with a vengeance
    related: fiercely, hammer and tongs, robustly, roughshod, sharply, vehemently, violently, actively, animatedly, briskly, crisply, eagerly, gamely, heartily, lustily, snappily, spiritedly, spunkily, vivaciously, decidedly, determinedly, directly, emphatically, fast, fixedly, intensively, intently, purposefully, resolutely, rigidly, smartly, solidly, soundly, squarely, steadfastly, steadily, sturdily, surely, aggressively, assertively, manfully, potently
    opposite: feebly, gently, softly, weakly
    near: delicately, faintly, frailly, shakily, bloodlessly, halfheartedly, languidly, lazily, listlessly, spiritlessly, impotently, ineffectively, ineffectually, lamely, nervelessly, spinelessly, uncertainly

Related Entry: Coups de main (noun)

Coups de main is a different word from Main. The synonyms below are for coups de main, not for main.

  1. the act or action of setting upon with force or violence

    "the Continental Army's attack on the British-Hessian encampment at Trenton, New Jersey, ranks as one of the most brilliant coups de main of the war"

    similar: aggressions, assaults, attacks, attempts, blitzes, blitzkriegs, charges, descents, offenses, offensives, onsets, onslaughts, raids, rushes, strikes
    related: ambuscades, ambushes, counteraggressions, counterassaults, counterattacks, counteroffensives, counterstrikes, sallies, sorties, envelopments, breakthroughs, forays, incursions, invasions, pillages, ravages, sacks, air raids, bombardments, bombings, sieges, storms, barrages, cannonades, fusillades, hails, salvos, volleys, whammies
    near: defenses, defensives, guards, shields, oppositions, resistances, protections, securities, shelters

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Main

The most common words with a similar meaning to Main:

Archaic: heft
arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, master, number one, numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign, supreme, beef, brawn, muscle, thew, continent, landmass, mainland, body, brunt

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Main

Words with the opposite meaning of Main:

last, least

Related Words for Main

distinguished, eminent, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, prestigious, signal, star, stellar, superior, high-level, senior, top, important, influential, major, mighty, momentous, significant, incomparable, matchless, unequaled, unparalleled, unsurpassed, celebrated, famed, famous, renowned

Near Antonyms of Main

inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant, minor, negligible, slight, trifling, trivial, unimportant, collateral, inferior, secondary, subordinate, subsidiary, impotence, impotency, weakness, debilitation, debility, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, frailness, frailty, infirmity, island, isle, islet, atoll, barrier reef

Origin & Etymology of Main

in sense 1, from Middle English, from Old English mǣgen; akin to Old High German magan strength, Old English magan to be able; in other senses, from main:2 or by shortening may:1

First known use: before 12th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Main

Words & Phrases Containing Main

main chance, main line, main man, main sequence, main stem, Main Street, main-topmast

Frequently Asked Questions about Main

What does "Main" mean?

"Main" means physical strength, force —used in the phrase with might and main. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: physical strength, force —used in the phrase with might and main. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Main"?

Other words for "Main" include arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant and first. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Main" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Main"?

There are 133 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Main". Common alternatives include arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, dominant, first, foremost and grand.

What is the opposite of "Main"?

Antonyms of "Main" include last and least. Near antonyms include inconsequential, inconsiderable, insignificant and minor.

How do you use "Main" in a sentence?

Examples of "Main" in a sentence: "this is the main point of the study—everything else is secondary"; "all their might and main could not budge the stalled car"; "islanders periodically traveled back to the main for supplies".

Is "Main" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Main" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Main" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Main" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Main"?

"Main" is pronounced /ˈmān/.