1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
our chief priority this year will be cutting the budget
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in presiding
highest in rank or authority
the chief administrator will be retiring soon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in body
the main or greater part of something as distinguished from its subordinate parts
the chief of the estate was left to the eldest son
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leader
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do
our chief is out on a business trip right now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chief
John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025
Overwhelmed by the realization that NASA had not revealed the O-ring issue to astronauts, chief astronaut John Young sent a memo to the entire astronaut corps expressing his outrage.
—Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025
Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 8 July 2025
Indeed, the film would have been a bonafide disaster if not for the self-possessiveness of its cast, Rachel Brosnahan chief among them.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Adjective
One of the chief goals of the community survey is to achieve representative samples from all areas of the city, so library leadership can better understand the specific needs of the people of the city.
—John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025
Overwhelmed by the realization that NASA had not revealed the O-ring issue to astronauts, chief astronaut John Young sent a memo to the entire astronaut corps expressing his outrage.
—Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2025
Noun
Chell, who was chief of patrol at the time of the wrongdoing alleged in the new lawsuits, took over as chief of department after Maddrey’s resignation.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 8 July 2025
Indeed, the film would have been a bonafide disaster if not for the self-possessiveness of its cast, Rachel Brosnahan chief among them.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chief
Adjective
-
The tournament grounds feature three main retail sites: the Centre Court Shop, the No. 1 Court Shop and the Museum Shop, along with five express shops and an additional nine kiosks.—
Tim Newcomb,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Compton's main argument was that the Panthers would rely solely on Newton's playmaking to win games, lacking the same elite talent the Eagles have surrounded Hurts with.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
Officers found the body covered by a garbage bag off the side of the road.—
Austin Hornbostel,
Nashville Tennessean,
20 July 2025
-
The body was first reported to 911 by a fisherman, who found it along of the banks of the creek between the two Northern Kentucky cities on July 18.—
Aaron Valdez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
20 July 2025
Noun
-
Nigel Farage, the leader of the right-wing Reform UK party, slammed the Conservative and Labour parties after it was revealed this week thousands of Afghan refugees were secretly resettled into the country without the public's knowledge.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
20 July 2025
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When speed and urgency matter, leaders and teams need solutions that reduce noise and enhance focus.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
First launched in 1985, FIBO has become one of the earth’s foremost fitness and wellness-focused trade shows, with roughly 130,000 participants set to convene in Cologne, Germany in April 2026.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Ziegler, one of the world’s foremost experts on the history and law of reproductive rights in the U.S., draws on decades of scholarship.—
David L. Coddon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
But a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and joined by the city of Los Angeles, set for arguments in court on Thursday, addresses the core of the raids themselves and could deal a significant policy blow to the Trump administration.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
-
Holmes explained that the partnership was borne out of the service’s complementary core audiences.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Jumper eventually became air boss on the Midway, as the Vietnam War was fading out.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 July 2025
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Recently, the union boss has been bending the president’s ear on the issue of the federal tax credit and overseas production tariffs.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
About one-third of American workers now earn income from a source other than a traditional nine-to-five job, whether this is their primary occupation or a side hustle.—
Liya Palagashvili,
National Review,
11 July 2025
-
Fortunately, the various streaming platforms that ride sidecar with the primary ratings engine of TV are recapturing a healthy percentage of the younger crowd who represent the future of sports consumption.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Tigers have been the surprise team in baseball this season and currently have a commanding lead in the AL Central.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 July 2025
-
Trump’s criticism came after Mamdani, 33, took a commanding lead over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Tuesday’s primary race.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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