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

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

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

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

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
Sean Parnell, chief spokesman for the Pentagon, pushed Congress to act faster. — Max Tani, semafor.com, 22 July 2026 The statement was posted on the official website of the State Council Information Office of China (SCIO), the chief information office of the Chinese government. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 22 July 2026
Noun
Deputy Chief Jason Petersen served briefly as interim chief before the city brought in Doug Brinkley to temporarily fill that role in September last year. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026 His six-month tenure as defense minister coincided with Ukraine’s recent success on the battlefield – and so his removal, amid disagreements with Syrskyi, caused a backlash against the military chief. — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 21 July 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
  • Also, the arena operates with one main kitchen; the hope is to have kitchens on all three levels to enhance fans’ concession experience.
    — Jason Quick, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Tourism – the island’s main economic lifeline – was down 58% in the first five months of 2026 compared with the year before.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 19 July 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • The executions have drawn attention to the ageing death-row population in the US, as well as Florida’s status as the foremost death penalty state.
    — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 16 July 2026
  • Among the most significant was the signing of a Letter of Intent between the Bharat Tex Trade Federation (BTTF) and Première Vision Paris, one of the world’s foremost textile and fashion sourcing platforms.
    — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 15 July 2026
Definition of foremost
Noun
  • Hopkinson and chief financial officer Simon Capper visited Nyon, Switzerland, on multiple occasions, while the CEO also spoke to governing-body representatives in Budapest before the Champions League final in May.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Issues of potential fertility decline in this male population also need to be addressed, as well as signs of high testosterone including sleep issues, excess body hair, liver disease, weight gain and mood disorders.
    — Nina Shapiro, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of body
Noun
  • About 150 protesters were taken to hospital with injuries following Monday’s violence, according to leaders of the party behind the protests.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • While Wyscout is the industry leader for video scouting tools in football, Eyeball has, since forming in 2020, established itself as the youth football equivalent across the globe.
    — Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of leader
Adjective
  • Because, as a one-off measure, FIFA would not have been the primary beneficiary.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Detectives identified Stevenson Tuimavave as the primary suspect and obtained warrants for his arrest and a search of his home, police said.
    — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
Definition of primary
Adjective
  • Edwards, who had been the commanding officer of HSC-5 since July 2025, was posthumously promoted to captain, the Navy said in a statement.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
  • And beyond all the light and magic of their goals, this was just a very commanding team performance.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of commanding
Noun
  • The core interest aside from this being the final of a six-week long competition that only happens every four years is the country of Messi’s birth taking on the country that raised him.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Since the brain needs to drop its core temperature by roughly a degree to descend into deep sleep, a bedroom temperature of around 65-67 degrees Fahrenheit will help.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 18 July 2026
Definition of core
Noun
  • His boss agreed, according to the lawsuit, so Swinehart asked an employee who worked under him to figure out if the family would be interested in that.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2026
  • McClair, a scurrying cerebral Glaswegian signed from Celtic and one of the few players to outsmart his boss Sir Alex Ferguson, had become the first in 20 years, since Best, to score 20 league goals for United.
    — Andy Mitten, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of boss

Phrases Containing chief

Browse Nearby Words

chiding
chief
chief justice
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on chief

Nglish: Translation of chief for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chief

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of maverick

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All