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
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 June 2026
Lopez is replacing outgoing Police Chief Manuel Morales, who was named chief during the previous administration under former Mayor Francis Suarez.
—Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
Susan Page, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Paklung has Bangkok’s police chief in his pocket.
—Andy Crump, IndieWire, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for chief
Adjective
Boswell joined the Daily Mail in 2019 and was named chief investigative reporter in January.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 June 2026
Lopez is replacing outgoing Police Chief Manuel Morales, who was named chief during the previous administration under former Mayor Francis Suarez.
—Miami Herald, 16 June 2026
Noun
Susan Page, the Washington Bureau chief of USA TODAY, has covered 12 presidential campaigns and seven presidencies.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Paklung has Bangkok’s police chief in his pocket.
—Andy Crump, IndieWire, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for chief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chief
Adjective
-
Patrick was addressing attendees of the Republican Party of Texas’ state convention in Houston from the event’s main stage.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
-
Reuters — Hungary’s main opposition Fidesz party re-elected former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as its leader on Saturday for another year despite the party’s loss of power in an April 12 election to the center-right Tisza party.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Gifford, who never attended college, eventually sold those buildings and became the city’s foremost expert on the repair and maintenance of boilers, writing a 571-page textbook on building science.—
Jesse Armas,
Curbed,
16 June 2026
-
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Kevin Brady,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
On Tuesday, Emeryville police announced the body had been identified as 30-year-old Marcus Moore.—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
On Monday, the Overland Park Police reported that Lieurance’s body had been discovered in his vehicle the evening before on June 14, in the lake alongside Joe Bald Park in Kimberling City, Missouri, about 18 miles east of Branson.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Since that occurred, stadium management has met with the Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and other Town leaders to learn the reasons for the modifications and to work towards an amendment to the stadium lease that would build upon our decades-long partnership.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
The consumer backlash, which prompted Lululemon to issue an apology and scrub its campaign, is the latest example of how quickly Western brands can come unstuck in a country where nationalism has surged under strongman leader Xi Jinping.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
National Institutes of Health announced that the agency, along with researchers from the University of Florida, would begin clinical trials on mitragynine, the primary psychoactive compound in kratom, to evaluate its potential as a treatment for opioid use disorder.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
Furthermore, buildings must now identify backup service providers to ensure repairs can be made even if primary companies are unavailable or out of business.—
Joan Murray,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Or perhaps the Black policemen, who often watched the house without their white commanding officer, secretly sympathized with the uprising.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
-
Moments after the Knicks completed the largest comeback in NBA Finals history in Game 4 — erasing a 29-point deficit to take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the San Antonio Spurs — Stiller burst through the postgame interview room doors like the Kool-Aid Man.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Keep a core of year-round basics, then rotate a few season-specific pieces in and out as the weather turns.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
-
The home and core ranges reflected strong loyalty between these areas less than 258 miles apart.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
-
In 2018, Rita Ferro succeeded the retiring Erhardt as the ESPN sales boss under a new title (president, Disney ad sales).—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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