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
Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Every $10 rise in oil prices bumps up headline inflation by roughly 0.4 percentage points and cuts economic growth by roughly 0.1 percentage point, Douglas Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital, estimated.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Nichols' family is suing the five officers, the city of Memphis and the police chief for $550 million.
—Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Adjective
Daniel Danker, the chief product officer at Instacart, was among the early risers at the venue.
—Katherine Fung, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Every $10 rise in oil prices bumps up headline inflation by roughly 0.4 percentage points and cuts economic growth by roughly 0.1 percentage point, Douglas Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital, estimated.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 24 June 2025
Noun
Every so often, the bleary-eyed budget chiefs, Sen. Ed Hooper of Palm Harbor and Rep. Lawrence McClure of Dover, appeared publicly for brief meetings in the state Capitol to ratify decisions that had already made in private.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 14 June 2025
Nichols' family is suing the five officers, the city of Memphis and the police chief for $550 million.
—Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chief
Adjective
-
Facing a harbor filled with sailboats, Avalon is the island's main tourist hub, and where most tourists will stay, from hotels such as the century-old Hotel Atwater to Airbnbs.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
-
One voter in Greenwich Village told ABC News that concerns about antisemitism were a main driver for his decision to vote for Cuomo.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
From 2011 to 2015 McClay worked as a consultant advising firms and trade bodies on not-for-profit strategy and management, and on sustainable sourcing policies and standards.—
Alan McClay,
Sourcing Journal,
26 June 2025
-
While Suzanne Morphew went missing in May 2020, her body wasn't found by investigators in Colorado until September 2023.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
-
Finally, leading up, your leaders need to start with the understanding that the ego has to stay outside the door.—
Barbara Puszkiewicz-Cimino,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
-
The annual event brought together influential leaders from media, entertainment, social justice, sports, technology, nonprofits and other industry sectors for a day of discussions and learning.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
One of the Jet Propulsion Lab’s foremost scientists says the futuristic outpost is still hoping against hope that the president’s plan for NASA will be overturned by Congress.—
Kevin Holden Platt,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
-
Giard grew up to become both a voracious reader (with a B.A. in English and American literature from Yale and an M.A. in comparative literature from Boston University) and a foremost chronicler of writers.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
History is also at the core of the third installation, which may be my favorite.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
-
Despite Benfica’s determination to preserve the core of a potentially special team, Fernandez returned to Portugal with Chelsea hot in pursuit.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
After they were discovered by her boss, she was also forced to kill her superior and burned all the participant files.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
-
His father, Curtis, took the day off work from a General Electric small appliances plant in Allentown to watch his son in person, fortuitously getting permission from his boss — who was himself the father of a major league pitcher, Curt Simmons.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Disclosure data shows that more than a dozen lawyers and paralegals with the New York Legal Assistance Group made cash contributions to Mamdani’s campaign ahead of the primary election.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
29 June 2025
-
The second floor has the primary suite, which is large and has a private balcony that overlooks the grounds.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Despite its commanding presence, the Navigator doesn’t drive like a tank.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
17 June 2025
-
The 1794 doesn’t have what was expected, a commanding road presence.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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