1
: most importantly : principally, especially
Examples of chiefly in a Sentence
Adverb
our video collection consists chiefly of comedies, but we have a few horror movies
Recent Examples on the Web
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
The Senate bill directs the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to auction between 2 million and 3.3 million acres over the next five years, chiefly for housing and related community development infrastructure.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 13 June 2025
The United States has exported chiefly chemicals, machinery and transportation equipment to Russia and imported mainly oils, chemicals and metals.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
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Adverb
The film’s most resonant moments and implications lie elsewhere—chiefly, in Spike’s relationships with his parents.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 June 2025
The Senate bill directs the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to auction between 2 million and 3.3 million acres over the next five years, chiefly for housing and related community development infrastructure.
—James Broughel, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Adjective
Many Europeans, chiefly men of French heritage, lived in the region outside those places.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 13 June 2025
The United States has exported chiefly chemicals, machinery and transportation equipment to Russia and imported mainly oils, chemicals and metals.
—Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Cite this Entry
“Chiefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chiefly. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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