Meaning & use
main idea
The central point or most important message that a piece of writing, speech, or paragraph is meant to convey.
See it in a sentence
Before summarizing the article, the students underlined the main idea in each paragraph.
The main idea of her speech was that small daily habits shape long-term success.
A note on using this word
In reading instruction, the main idea is distinct from supporting details, which merely illustrate or explain it.
Words with a similar meaning
central themekey pointgist
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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