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
The city’s chief civilian police watchdog is sidelined after he was placed on administrative leave this week, though clarity on what prompted the decision remains behind closed doors. — Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026 The company’s chief financial officer, Bret Johnsen, said to expect similar capital expenditures for the next two quarters. — Bernard Condon, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
Noun
The iPhone maker sued OpenAI and its hardware chief in July, upending a relationship between two companies that worked together as partners in recent years. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026 During the attack, an off-duty state trooper and a civilian fired on Williams and diverted him from the restaurant, the chief said. — Michael Biesecker, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 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
  • Al-Hilal is keen to offload the player, who is training separately from their main squad and not in coach Simoene Inzaghi's plans.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Nazca Lines, ​enormous drawings and ⁠geometric figures etched into desert plains in the south of the country, are one of Peru’s main tourist destinations, attracting approximately ​100,000 annual visitors.
    — Joe Kottke, NBC news, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • Today, perhaps the foremost image of a moderate is that of a centrist on a left-right spectrum.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Briggs, the architect, built a reputation for bespoke luxury homes along the Orange County coast and was named among Architectural Digest’s 100 foremost architects in 1991, according to background materials from the listing team.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of foremost
Noun
  • Later on Friday, Infantino said the plan was to strengthen such bodies, not divide world soccer.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 1 Aug. 2026
  • If your body has been asking you in a few ways to slow down (like feeling a cough coming on, or a tiredness that won’t shake off), stop fighting against what your body or heart is trying to tell you.
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of body
Noun
  • Chennai claimed him as Thala, a Tamil word meaning leader that functions as something closer to a title of devotion.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The 23-year-old finished one place and just over one second behind her team’s co-leader Elisa Longo Borghini — and 18 seconds ahead of her other leader Dominika Włodarczyk.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of leader
Adjective
  • The company has committed to investing at least $1 billion to construct one roughly 300,000-square-foot facility, but the campus could expand to include up to five primary buildings, officials have said.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Whether Castillo and Gausman can return to form and help their respective clubs get deep into October will be a primary storyline here the rest of the year.
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of primary
Adjective
  • The Mariners now sit a game and a half behind the Rangers, who have more of a commanding lead of the American League West.
    — Cal Phillips Updated July 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026
  • That is the commanding nature the Tigers simply would not be the same without.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of commanding
Noun
  • The core challenge is agents' ability to exploit existing weaknesses at scale, necessitating improved governance and careful permission management.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • But Cheogyal and his classmates studied the history of Tibetan dynasties, logic, philosophical systems, poetry, linguistics, and astrology – core subjects in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of core
Noun
  • Although German sportswear brand Puma reported a slip in sales in the second quarter, the company’s bosses remain optimistic that their plan to bring the brand back to growth by 2027 is on the right track.
    — Cathrin Schaer, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
  • For example, public acknowledgement via a shoutout, private recognition from a boss, or receiving a high level of achievement through a review can be memorable forms of recognition to employees.
    — Rick Elliott, Forbes.com, 31 July 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 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chief

Nglish: Translation of chief for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chief

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