1
: most importantly : principally, especially
Examples of chiefly in a Sentence
Adverb
our video collection consists chiefly of comedies, but we have a few horror movies
Recent Examples on the Web
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 13 Mar. 2026
Yet the effort has struggled to gain traction at the Capitol, chiefly blocked by Patrick, a gambling opponent who controls the Senate.
—Philip Jankowski
austin Bureau, Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026
Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2026
As the number of seniors skyrockets, government obligations for the welfare of the elderly, chiefly pensions and health care, have ballooned.
—Mark L. Haas, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
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Adverb
Gas prices in the United States have risen sharply, chiefly because of the de facto blockage of the crucial Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s southern coast.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 13 Mar. 2026
Yet the effort has struggled to gain traction at the Capitol, chiefly blocked by Patrick, a gambling opponent who controls the Senate.
—Philip Jankowski
austin Bureau, Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Matt McClain, a petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said the United States looks to its own oil production and chiefly imports from Canada and Mexico.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2026
As the number of seniors skyrockets, government obligations for the welfare of the elderly, chiefly pensions and health care, have ballooned.
—Mark L. Haas, Foreign Affairs, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Cite this Entry
“Chiefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chiefly. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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