as in mainly
for the most part
our video collection consists chiefly of comedies, but we have a few horror movies
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Recent Examples of chiefly
European unification was meant, chiefly, to put all that behind them.
—
Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
There are a few commonalities between the two, chiefly the abundance of alcohol consumption, the significance of costuming and the presence of king cake.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
This list is intended chiefly to get the gears of your own moviegoing memories turning.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
The Post’s book coverage—chiefly via the beloved Book World section—has long been a gold standard in the industry.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
There are a few commonalities between the two, chiefly the abundance of alcohol consumption, the significance of costuming and the presence of king cake.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
This list is intended chiefly to get the gears of your own moviegoing memories turning.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
The Post’s book coverage—chiefly via the beloved Book World section—has long been a gold standard in the industry.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chiefly
Adverb
-
During the day, the multi-tiered outdoor pool area is perfect for a rosé on your lounge chair or in a private cabana, along with or a snack from pool bar Azure’s (mainly) healthy menu of market veggie crudité, yellowtail crudo, and salmon poke.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
-
According to Lupo, Boise’s score for quality of education and health mainly suffered due to the Idaho capital’s graduation rates.—
Hali Smith
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
With fees, Live Nation has said ticket fees mostly go to venues.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Evans played in 17 games in 2025, mostly making a name for himself as a special teams ace.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Pete is primarily made of milk chocolate, with a white chocolate stomach and ears.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Israel also pressed on with near-daily strikes, primarily in southern Lebanon, saying that Hezbollah has been trying to rebuild its positions there, killing nearly 400 people while the ceasefire was in place.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
State transportation officials largely rehashed old information during a presentation to Charlotte City Council’s transportation committee Thursday.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Perched between China and India, the country of 30 million people has been plagued for decades by political instability, crippling a largely agrarian economy and worsening unemployment – structural issues compounded by rampant corruption.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
These are not exclusive to Helmand Province but principally focused on that province.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The order came after airstrikes overnight on the predominantly Christian southeastern suburb of Hazmieh that struck a hotel.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Handheld metal detectors often struggle in mineral-rich soils and have difficulty reliably detecting low-metal or predominantly plastic mines.—
Sagar Lekhak,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chiefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chiefly. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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