chief 1 of 2

adjective

ˈchēf How to pronounce chief (audio)
Definition of chiefnext
1
as in main
coming before all others in importance our chief priority this year will be cutting the budget

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2
as in presiding
highest in rank or authority the chief administrator will be retiring soon

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chief

2 of 2

noun

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

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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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chief
Adjective
His breakthrough acting project came in 1974 with a prominent role as the chief villain in Mark Robson’s disaster epic Earthquake. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 Tiffany Hsu, Mytheresa’s chief buying and group fashion venture officer, notes a clear shift away from the ease and practicality that’s dominated the last few years. — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
On Tuesday, Paramount streaming chief Cindy Holland announced her exit from the company, suggesting that HBO’s Casey Bloys would take over the streaming business once the deal closed. — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026 In February, the lawsuit says, Dougan and other deputy chiefs submitted a grievance to new Fire Chief Craig Buckley, who took over the position in January when Grundyson retired. — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chief
  1. main
  2. foremost
  3. body
  4. leader
  5. primary
  6. commanding
  7. core
  8. boss
Adjective
  • Homegrown chip design firm SkyeChip also enjoyed a blockbuster IPO on the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange in May, surging 300% on its main market debut.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • AbdulSalam Mohammed, president of the Abaad Studies & Research Center and an adviser to Yemen’s Information Ministry, told the Washington Examiner that government forces are currently focused on defending against the Houthis along three main axes.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • Considered the foremost institution for Asian art in the United States, this additional space will give the museum more room to display roughly 4,000 historic and contemporary works from its more than 21,000-piece collection of Asian artists.
    — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Seeing the internet’s foremost disciple of glow meet the internet’s foremost purveyor of good lighting, though, feels quite satisfying—who else needs another excuse to update that Sephora cart?
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of foremost
Noun
  • The third, Surrender, is a massage performed in water, in which the buoyancy and warmth allow the body to completely relax and let go.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The tomb’s entrance passage, with narrowing walls and descending axis, creates a liminal stage to orient the body before entering the burial chamber.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of body
Noun
  • Tuesday night’s episode of NBC’s The Voice saw team leaders Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, Queen Latifah, and Riley Green complete their rosters as the Blind Auditions came to an end.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
  • French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government and school leaders must listen to students' concerns and find solutions.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of leader
Adjective
  • The war crimes that were brought to the fore on the stage by Macklemore’s speech are the ones that should be the primary focus.
    — Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Simmons made some phenomenal throws all over the field, including to his primary receiver, Cayden Lee.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of primary
Adjective
  • Kirkwood had a commanding lead before Palou's spin caused a caution.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Adrián Marín set up the play with his pass to Tiago as Orlando took what seemed to be a commanding lead in the second half.
    — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of commanding
Noun
  • The safety filing delivers the core engineering and operational data needed for federal oversight.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Sayegh also puts her staying power down to her father’s influence, which instilled core values like honoring deals, treating people with respect and booking movies based on audience demand and not personal taste.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of core
Noun
  • Drivers knew the back entrances, the factory layouts, and the best path to the boss of a mom-and-pop workshop.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Serena tells him his former boss Elliott Wyatt recommended him highly, which is strange given his former reticence.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of boss

Phrases Containing chief

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chiding
chief
chief justice
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Cite this Entry

“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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