1
as in rudimentary
belonging to or characteristic of an early level of skill or development
primitive wooden tools were used before the Iron Age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ancient
relating to or occurring near the beginning of a process, series, or time period
a primitive period in church history when members still lived in communes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in naive
lacking in worldly wisdom or informed judgment
her taste in art was still primitive, but she knew schlock when she saw it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in barbarian
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of primitive
Mike Giuliano, Howard County Times, 23 June 2017
A lot of the campgrounds are primitive, and lack some common amenities - including water.
—Jamie Hale, OregonLive.com, 6 July 2017
EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
By identifying and then chaining together a series of motion primitives, the Amazon researchers have been able to achieve stowing success rates (in the lab) of better than 90 percent.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Adjective
Constructed in front of the stone ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park in Ellicott City, that caveman-evocative set provides a suitably primitive stomping ground for the monstrous Caliban.
—Mike Giuliano, Howard County Times, 23 June 2017
A lot of the campgrounds are primitive, and lack some common amenities - including water.
—Jamie Hale, OregonLive.com, 6 July 2017
Noun
Meanwhile, humans have regressed into being primitives that the apes hunt for sport, or feed out of pity from beside their campfire.
—EW.com, 2 Nov. 2023
By identifying and then chaining together a series of motion primitives, the Amazon researchers have been able to achieve stowing success rates (in the lab) of better than 90 percent.
—IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for primitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for primitive
Adjective
-
Although contemporary smart assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant can manage rudimentary household commands—like turning on lights or checking the weather—agentic AI signifies a profound shift.—
Sandeep Shivam,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
These pioneers used rudimentary plows, but when steel plows became available farmers were able to plant and harvest much more food per acre to feed a growing population.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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Casablanca has opened its first stand-alone store at 62 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and is shaking up the neighborhood with a colorful, youthful energy and interiors inspired by ancient Greece, Japan and the game of tennis.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
6 June 2025
-
For example, the presence of clay minerals indicates past interactions between volcanic materials and water, hinting at the possibility of ancient habitable environments, according to the statement.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
The first big work people make, that first foray into the public eye, has something so naive about it.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
But his answers Thursday painted the picture of an organization willing to trust internal answers over trading Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon or Michael Porter Jr. That is either delusional, naive, or both.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
The colonized lands are conceptualized of as virgin or empty, or populated by savages and barbarians who amount to less-than-human types who must make way for the settlers.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
21 May 2025
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The barbarians are all those who hate human nature, all those who trample upon the sense of the sacred, all those who do not value life, all those who rebel against God the Creator of man and nature.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The obvious difference is the lack of a coastal element, as Sand Valley’s courses are spread across 12,000 acres of prehistoric sand dunes.—
Erik Matuszewski,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
Beneath the surface of Warm Mineral Springs, divers have discovered prehistoric remains dating back 10,000 years.—
Sean Kingsley,
HollywoodReporter,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
In addition to experiencing a surge of sensual energy with greater emphasis on life’s simple pleasures, Venus in Taurus has everything to do with feeling grounded and finding stability in both love and finances.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
5 June 2025
-
The way to peace is simple: get Hamas out and get aid in.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
-
Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Deep listening is about genuine curiosity cueing in our primal need to be seen and heard, and create unexpected connections, ultimately combating loneliness and promoting social cohesion.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
-
Reid plays the New Boy’s difference, almost beyond human, with surprising subtlety and restraint for such a raw performer (which is essential to capture that primal sense of survival at all costs).—
Ella Kemp,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Primitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/primitive. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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