chiefly

adverb

ˈchē-flē How to pronounce chiefly (audio)
Definition of chieflynext
as in mainly
for the most part our video collection consists chiefly of comedies, but we have a few horror movies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 The problem is Will Ferrell as Lonnie Hawkins, an utter miscalculation of characterization and performance chiefly responsible for turning what could be middling comedy into an unbearable slog. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 16 July 2026 The complaint says Salle’s 2025 painting shares the works’ pose, perspective, clothing, and overall visual impression, differing chiefly in that its subject holds an axe instead of a sledgehammer. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 8 July 2026 The Castro family has been linked, through GAESA chiefly, to a lucrative world of hotels, banks, retail monopolies, foreign-currency businesses, foreign private compounds and offshore accounts. — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Advertisement Sea Rangers restore seagrass chiefly in the Dutch Eastern Scheldt and French Étang de Berre. — Richard Morgan, Time, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chiefly
  1. mainly
  2. mostly
  3. primarily
  4. largely
  5. principally
  6. predominantly
Adverb
  • The show, the first ever to be mainly in Spanish, would end up courting significant conservative backlash, to the point that Kid Rock and Turning Point USA elected to put on their own alternative halftime show.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Previously they were used mainly for breaching, blasting doors open, but demand has surged.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of mainly
Adverb
  • In the neighborhood, which is actually the oldest part of Prague, there are mostly residential buildings, embassies, and local offices.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Many skeptics see a contradiction in high-achieving, mostly white young voters employing rhetoric about labor and solidarity.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of mostly
Adverb
  • The Mutiara Sentosa 2 serves the Surabaya-Makassar route, a voyage that typically takes around 40 hours and is primarily used by domestic travelers and cargo transport between the islands of Java and Sulawesi.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Beijing in recent years has rapidly expanded mandates for schools in ethnic minority regions to adopt primarily Chinese-language education, starting from kindergarten.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of primarily
Adverb
  • The Frenchman scored more league goals than any other Liverpool player last season, but that was largely with Isak on the sidelines.
    — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Friday’s report will likely underscore that the job market remains stable but in a low-flow state, with non-healthcare hiring a little sluggish and the unemployment rate largely unchanged.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of largely
Adverb
  • Back in those early days there was talk of Newcastle winning the Premier League in the next five to 10 years, principally from the mouth of Amanda Staveley, a 10 per cent minority partner of PIF who sold her stake and left Tyneside in July 2024.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Opposition is growing in the soccer world to a plan by the sport’s governing body, FIFA, to spin off its events, principally the World Cup, as a separate commercial entity and invite investors to take a stake in it.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 29 July 2026
Definition of principally
Adverb
  • Lake was also the only Black woman in a field of exclusively male, predominantly white candidates for the county’s top seat.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Their active roster is predominantly right-handed, which clogs up some of the lineup decisions for Roberts.
    — Katie Woo, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of predominantly

Browse Nearby Words

chief justices
chiefly
chiefs
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Cite this Entry

“Chiefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chiefly. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of chiefly for Spanish Speakers

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