1
as in bodies
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leaders
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
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 chiefs
The overlap is almost too perfect—two editor-in-chiefs and one very specific kind of Upper East Side abode.
—
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
Whether or not Ellison will be on the ground in Vegas, new Paramount studio chiefs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein are sure to make as much news as possible, either by announcing release dates or new projects.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
Many say these chiefs were doing exceptional work in the community to improve public safety, and believe their firings are a result of speaking out against the city manager.
—Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
Laks Srinivasan, coauthor of that report, told me that finance chiefs are uniquely positioned to define, evaluate, fund, and measure AI initiatives, then apply that framework across the company.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
By late in the year, nearly all of the section chiefs in the office had departed, including Public Corruption and Organized Crime, National Security and Cyber Crimes, and Violent Crimes.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
The response included two battalion chiefs, two ladder trucks and four fire engines, authorities said.
—Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Both cities, separated by only 40 miles, have seen a drastic change in the number of offenses, with politicians, state’s attorneys and police chiefs crediting their administrations and policies as the main drivers of the reductions.
—Stella Canino-Quinones, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2026
Dulla Bhatti belonged to a family of local chiefs who rebelled against the Mughal authority by opposing land revenues and taxes.
—Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
Whether or not Ellison will be on the ground in Vegas, new Paramount studio chiefs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein are sure to make as much news as possible, either by announcing release dates or new projects.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
Many say these chiefs were doing exceptional work in the community to improve public safety, and believe their firings are a result of speaking out against the city manager.
—Gabriela Vidal, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
Laks Srinivasan, coauthor of that report, told me that finance chiefs are uniquely positioned to define, evaluate, fund, and measure AI initiatives, then apply that framework across the company.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
By late in the year, nearly all of the section chiefs in the office had departed, including Public Corruption and Organized Crime, National Security and Cyber Crimes, and Violent Crimes.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
The response included two battalion chiefs, two ladder trucks and four fire engines, authorities said.
—Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Both cities, separated by only 40 miles, have seen a drastic change in the number of offenses, with politicians, state’s attorneys and police chiefs crediting their administrations and policies as the main drivers of the reductions.
—Stella Canino-Quinones, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2026
Dulla Bhatti belonged to a family of local chiefs who rebelled against the Mughal authority by opposing land revenues and taxes.
—Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chiefs
Noun
-
The two bodies in the bags were recovered and transported to a medical examiner’s office for autopsy, where they were identified as Cherry and Stephen.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The bodies, along with that of his six-month pregnant daughter-in-law, arrived in wooden coffins on a bus from Lebanon, their names scribbled on the sides.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some leaders from southern states also turned up in Parliament dressed in black as a mark of protest.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Sharif dispatched Munir to Tehran for talks with Iranian leaders.—
April 16,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
From my tried-and-true tactics (getting 10,000 daily steps, running, doing Pilates, not snacking after dinner) to emerging advice (lifting heavier weights, eating all the protein), each fresh burst of motivation only leaves me more deflated.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Glamour,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In March, shortly after the Da Nang landing, an Assistant Secretary of Defense, John McNaughton, wrote a memo assigning relative weights to American objectives in Vietnam.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sitting in the dugout, Snell nodded up to the field where some of those bosses — president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Brandon Gomes and Roberts — stood talking.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
This is also important for staffers across the Capitol to see that their bosses don’t get to do this to them.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Avocado pits, peach stones, and other hard fruit cores are far too tough for your disposal’s blades and can cause serious damage.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Aeration is a method of keeping your lawn healthy by pulling finger-sized cores of soil from your lawn, says Daniel Zhao, CEO of SoilDrops, a lawn irrigation system.—
Lee Wallender,
The Spruce,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For years after that, TCU alums who had served as Ranch Week foremen or queen would proudly include it on resumes, in professional biographies or when running for office.—
Matt Leclercq,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The latest example came when both captains dropped the gloves late in the second period.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2026
-
At the time, LAFD’s public information director position was vacant, but a staff roster shows that two captains and four firefighters were assigned to the Community Liaison Office.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Consider this your cue to stock up on easy, timeless staples that always look put-together.—
Taylor Jean Stephan,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Michu’s growth reflects this broader shift toward thoughtful, high‑performing pet care staples.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chiefs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chiefs. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
