Cool MateMore than anything vs Primarily
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
More than anything
Top 2,000 (common)
Primarily
Top 2,000 (common)B2adverb
| More than anything | Primarily | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //mɔːr ðən ˈɛnɪθɪŋ//🇺🇸 //mɔr ðən ˈɛniˌθɪŋ// | 🇬🇧 /["/praɪˈmerəli//ˈpraɪmərəli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/praɪˈmerəli/"]/ |
| Meaning | more important than anything else | mainly; for the most part |
| Example | I love my family more than anything. | a course designed primarily for specialists |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | value more than anything, want more than anything, prefer more than anything | primarily concerned, primarily focused, primarily used, primarily for, primarily about |
| Antonyms | - | secondarily, incidentally, subordinately |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'than' by saying 'more anything', Using in overly formal contexts where simpler language is expected, Confusing with similar phrases that do not convey the same emphasis | Confused with 'principally' which has a similar meaning but different usage., Using it in a negative context incorrectly, such as saying 'not primarily' when 'not mainly' is clearer., Incorrectly placing 'primarily' at the end of a sentence. |
| Usage notes | Use in contexts where you want to emphasize something's importance. More suitable in conversations and written forms where strong expression is needed. | Use 'primarily' when you want to focus on the main reason or purpose; it's suitable in both spoken and written English but is more common in formal contexts than casual conversation. |
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Frequently asked questions: More than anything vs Primarily
What's the difference between More than anything and Primarily?
More than anything: more important than anything else Primarily: mainly; for the most part
Can you show an example of each?
More than anything: I love my family more than anything. Primarily: a course designed primarily for specialists
Can I use More than anything and Primarily interchangeably?
Not always. More than anything and Primarily are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.