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
Robert Yaro, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
My father rose to the rank of colonel in the Army before serving as chief counsel for the California Department of Veterans Affairs.
—Irene Watkins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Robert Frank, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
The truth is that the chief has not adequately addressed questions related to the implementation of the agreement.
—Thomas Kennedy, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chief
Adjective
Yaro, former head of the Regional Plan Association, is chief planner for the Grand Penn Community Alliance.
—Robert Yaro, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026
My father rose to the rank of colonel in the Army before serving as chief counsel for the California Department of Veterans Affairs.
—Irene Watkins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
Real estate brokers say many hedge funders, private equity chiefs and venture capital investors are also joining traditional Wall Street bankers in the buying spree.
—Robert Frank, CNBC, 9 Feb. 2026
The truth is that the chief has not adequately addressed questions related to the implementation of the agreement.
—Thomas Kennedy, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chief
Adjective
-
White actually carried main voice Terry Gannon through parts of the broadcast.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Shah’s daughter, Smita Shah, is a finance committee vice chair for Stratton’s main campaign fund, Juliana for Illinois.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For many Americans, the most vulnerable eating decisions of the day happen between lunch and dinner, and those decisions could have long-term consequences for how the body and brain handle blood sugar later in the day, according to recent research and reports.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The 251 hostages taken in the attack were returned to Israel in various ceasefire agreements, with the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, the final body in Gaza.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, senior leaders at Arizona State University were quietly hosting 30 leaders from Korean technical colleges to discuss how the United States might learn from their success in developing an AI-ready workforce.—
David Ignatius,
Washington Post,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But almost immediately after, scrappy rivals like Microsoft and Apple came along to chip away at IBM’s market leader status.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
About Artforum Artforum is the magazine of record for the contemporary art industry and holds the unique roles of institution, nexus, and foremost tastemaker of the art world.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Here are the foremost players who hit that category for the Broncos in 2026, according to OvertheCap.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps, on extremely long timescales, those heavier elements will sink to the center of the core, producing an inert center that slows the rate of fusion even further.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Sina Azodi, the director of the Middle East Studies Program at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital that Khamenei’s authority stems from direct control over Iran’s core power centers.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Your ability to charm bosses and VIPs will be excellent.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Her mother lost her job because her boss is uncomfortable employing someone with an ankle monitor.—
Mica Rosenberg,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Gates Foundation and OpenAI have launched a $50 million program to bring AI capabilities to 1,000 primary health care clinics across Africa.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The Amazon-like company has been subjected to a number of investigations, raids, and inspections initiated by the Korea Fair Trade Commission, the country’s primary antitrust regulator, in recent years.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The President demoted Greg Bovino, the commanding agent in charge of the roving patrols that have besieged Los Angeles, Chicago, Charlotte, and Minneapolis.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Arsenal have allowed their previously commanding lead to slip in recent weeks while Nottingham Forest and West Ham have both found form to boost their chances of avoiding relegation.—
Graham Ruthven,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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