as in mainly
for the most part
our video collection consists chiefly of comedies, but we have a few horror movies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 chiefly
That said, there are some Crocs are chiefly marketed toward either men or women, namely sneakers for men and wedges for women, and focus on men’s or women’s sizes.
—
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
In a probing piece for The New Yorker, journalist Jessica Winter took a hard look at Burden’s financial profile—and incidentally turned up some holes in the narrative that has defined her divorce as tragic for chiefly financial reasons.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Astilbe is a noun meaning any of a genus of chiefly Asian perennials of the saxifrage family that have simple or usually compound leaves and are widely cultivated for their panicles of usually white, pink, or red flowers.
—City News Service, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Carbon dioxide, released from the burning of gas, oil and coal, is chiefly responsible for warming.
—Seth Borenstein, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
In a probing piece for The New Yorker, journalist Jessica Winter took a hard look at Burden’s financial profile—and incidentally turned up some holes in the narrative that has defined her divorce as tragic for chiefly financial reasons.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
Astilbe is a noun meaning any of a genus of chiefly Asian perennials of the saxifrage family that have simple or usually compound leaves and are widely cultivated for their panicles of usually white, pink, or red flowers.
—City News Service, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Carbon dioxide, released from the burning of gas, oil and coal, is chiefly responsible for warming.
—Seth Borenstein, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chiefly
Adverb
-
But Capital One is growing the fastest, and Venture X has dramatically changed its parent company’s reputation, mainly through key partnerships like Prior and the Michelin Guide, which have the kind of credibility and caché that attracts affluent travelers.—
Jennifer Leigh Parker,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Smaller chances linger into Thursday, mainly south of Interstate 70.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
That paucity of new tuners — there were just six original musicals in the season, and only two were viable candidates for the top award — meant that the Tonys for artistic achievement in musicals mostly went to revivals.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
-
As for accessories, Gerber went mostly minimal, making her strapless Alaïa dress the focal point of her look.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
8 June 2026
Adverb
-
Dogs primarily regulate heat through panting and small sweat glands in their paw pads, according to the American Kennel Club.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
-
The chemical is primarily a respiratory irritant.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Adverb
-
Bottura’s success in this case was, of course, largely tied to his ascendent fame and talent for finding ingenious solutions to problems, some obviously gastronomic and others less so.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The court also argued that evidence for the murder charge — largely presented through testimony by Montgomery’s wife, Kayla Montgomery — was not strong enough for conviction.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
Adverb
-
But it is being facilitated by doctors and specialized pharmacies that are principally regulated at the state level, legal experts say, as well as unregulated sources that operate outside the typical guardrails designed to assure drug quality.—
Daniel Gilbert,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Adverb
-
Mane, who appeared as Sabretooth in the 2000 movie, revealed in a post on Instagram that he has been diagnosed with the condition predominantly associated with women.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
-
Since The Sopranos, she's continued working in Hollywood, predominantly on TV with recurring roles on Entourage (as herself), Ugly Betty, Guys with Kids and Big Sky.—
Sophie Dodd,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chiefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chiefly. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
