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
Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Brands Casual footwear brand Crocs has named Carly Gomez as senior vice president and chief marketing officer.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 22 Aug. 2025
Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
In late January, a LAF chief reportedly sent a classified document to Hezbollah.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Adjective
Under state law, the board's chief counsel must first conduct a legal review of the decision, a process that can take up to 120 days.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
Brands Casual footwear brand Crocs has named Carly Gomez as senior vice president and chief marketing officer.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
Two top aides to Johnson, including Kennedy Bartley, the mayor’s chief of external affairs, and Jason Lee, Johnson’s senior adviser, were also at the meeting Wednesday.
—Kate Perez, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025
In late January, a LAF chief reportedly sent a classified document to Hezbollah.
—Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chief
Adjective
-
The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Aug. 2025
-
His main ride is a blue 2005 TJ with a four-inch lift and some other add-ons.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Once in the body, CO molecules hijack your red blood cells, overpowering oxygen in the bloodstream and shutting off critical O2 supply to the brain, heart and other organs.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Tourism and travel contributed $1.3 billion to Rwanda’s economy in 2024, a new high according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, and the body expects tourism’s contribution to the economy to rise by 13% this year.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Those concerns were made known even after Vice President JD Vance made a personal visit to Gov. Mike Braun and state legislative leaders in early August.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
25 Aug. 2025
-
CEOs, influencers and leaders tied to mobility and innovation will gather to network and trade ideas.—
Carol Cain,
Freep.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
James DiNardo,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Cornell was the foremost beneficiary of the Morrill Act Both Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin are land-grant universities that profited from lands taken from Indigenous nations, as did at least 50 other universities throughout the U.S.—
Frank Vaisvilas,
jsonline.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
At the core of this leadership practice lies coaching—not the performance-review archetype, but deep, generative coaching that shifts mindsets, surfaces mental models and anchors purpose in action.—
Thomas Lim,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
And if the core problem here is that matches will be taken away from clubs’ traditional locations — and more pertinently, their traditional fans — that is on the clubs themselves and, in the case of Villarreal versus Barcelona, the Spanish federation.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
On Monday morning, league bosses Roger Goodell, Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, and Gary Bettman were asked to participate in a briefing on matters related to the sports broadcasting market, including those having to do with blackout exemptions.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Take that away and Premier League boss Richard Masters is going to have an even harder time trying to convince his shareholders to send more money down the pipe before the new independent football regulator makes them.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
France is, however, the primary importer of Mauritian nutmeg today.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Aug. 2025
-
With Van de Ven and Cristian Romero established as Spurs’ primary partnership in central defence, Vuskovic may struggle to supplant that duo for the biggest games.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Garcia has tremendous reflexes and is a commanding presence in the box.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Barnsdall is home to Frank Lloyd Wright’s first Los Angeles commission, Hollyhock House, with its commanding monolithic forms, geometric ornamentation, and modern take on Mayan Revival architecture.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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