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
Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Union Pacific chief financial officer Jennifer Hamann added that the company has been negotiating with its unions in parallel to the merger.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 12 Sep. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
After a thorough investigation, only one person was transported to a hospital for an unrelated medical issue, according Michael Hopkins, a battalion chief and spokesman for the fire department.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Adjective
Wilde spent 10 years building Front Office Sports as co-founder across COO and chief growth officer roles.
—Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Union Pacific chief financial officer Jennifer Hamann added that the company has been negotiating with its unions in parallel to the merger.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
At that time, former army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha—who seized power in a 2014 coup d’etat—was still Prime Minister after rewriting the constitution to guarantee a guiding role for the military.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
After a thorough investigation, only one person was transported to a hospital for an unrelated medical issue, according Michael Hopkins, a battalion chief and spokesman for the fire department.
—Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chief
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chief
Adjective
-
The character collection leans into more alternate builds for main characters.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Use jig and pigs 18 to 25 feet deep along brush piles or main lake points with a gradual slope.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The Harvest Grapeseed Ritual begins with a dry brush and exfoliating scrub, followed by a rich body butter and a glass of Elusa Cabernet Sauvignon.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The report was researched and written by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which was formed by the Human Right Council in 2021, as an independent investigative body.—
Kevin Shalvey,
ABC News,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
That is where creativity lives, where intimacy is built, and where leaders are made.—
Curt Steinhorst,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The pair referred to, Vanderbilt University’s Daniel Diermeier and Washington University’s Andrew Martin, have taken a very different approach than the maximalist resistance stance of many elite university leaders.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.—
Anna Forsythe,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
But some of its foremost victims aren’t Israeli Jews.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Since World War I, the American right has held together as a political movement by prioritizing a conservative vision of white Christian values and private enterprise, while shielding those immutable core principles with expendable public‑facing ideals.—
Allan J. Lichtman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Biglari’s core demands were to stop opening new stores entirely, eliminate the development team to save money, and focus exclusively on improving existing store operations rather than expansion.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Recently, her boss asked the group who would be able to stay late to finish up a few reports.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
-
While Kimmie worked as a dancer at the club, Jules (who serves as both Bellaire’s head of security and the boss at Norman’s secret strip club) forced her to be Roy's prostitute.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The game’s primary goal is to shed light on the struggles of being forced into a refugee camp.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The reason for the Fed’s tentative steps is its two primary and potentially clashing mandates — maximum sustainable employment and price stability.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Andersen, who previously worked for the San Antonio Police Department, has ruddy cheeks and a commanding presence.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Irvine ran the ball, passed the ball and slowed down Laguna Hills’ uptempo offense with a commanding defensive display.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chief.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chief. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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