chief

adjective

ˈchēf 

1

: accorded highest rank or office

chief librarian

the company's chief executive

2

: of greatest importance or influence

the chief reasons

their chief accomplishment

Synonyms of chief

• main
• greatest
• primary
• highest
• foremost
• predominant
• dominant
• principal
• leading
• first
• big

Examples of chief in a Sentence

the chief engineer on the project

Her job is their chief source of income.

He has many concerns, chief among them his health.

Recent Examples on the Web

Perhaps no one understands the allure of these properties better than Patricia Miller, the chief conservator at the Preservation Society of Newport County. —Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026

If the reasoning in the memo struck immigration lawyers as dubious, this may have been because the agency’s office of chief counsel failed to properly vet it. —Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 7 June 2026

One of the chief objectives the administration laid out going into the war was to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile stockpile. —NBC news, 7 June 2026

After Mamdani captured the nomination last summer, Lander was reportedly angling to become first deputy mayor—in essence, chief lieutenant—in the new administration. —Russell Berman, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing chief

• air chief marshal
• chief constable
• chief executive
• chief executive officer
• chief justice
• chief master sergeant
• chief master sergeant of the air force
• chief of naval operations
• chief of police
• chief of staff
• chief of state
• chief petty officer
• chief warrant officer
• commander in chief
• crew chief
• editor in chief
• fire chief
• in chief
• master chief petty officer
• master chief petty officer of the coast guard
• master chief petty officer of the navy
• senior chief petty officer
• sub-chief

Rhymes for chief

• beef
• brief
• fief
• grief
• leaf
• lief
• reef
• reif
• seif
• sheaf
• thief
• belief

Kids Definition

chief

1 of 2 adjective

ˈchēf 

1

: highest in rank or authority

chief librarian

2

: most important : main

your chief claim to fame

chief

2 of 2 noun

: the head of a group : leader

chief of police

Etymology

Middle English chief "top part, head," from early French chief "head, chief," from Latin caput "head" — related to capital, captain