Synonyms of chief

chief 1 of 2

adjective

ˈchēf 

1

as in main

coming before all others in importance

our chief priority this year will be cutting the budget

Synonyms & Similar Words

• main
• greatest
• primary
• highest
• foremost
• predominant
• dominant
• principal
• first
• leading
• big
• supreme
• key
• central
• cardinal
• paramount
• premier
• overriding
• great
• master
• sovereign
• prior
• capital
• primal
• distinguished
• overbearing
• No. 1
• senior
• number one
• top
• major
• preeminent
• sovran
• eminent
• grand
• overmastering
• illustrious
• outstanding
• notable
• important
• arch
• noteworthy
• high-level
• prestigious
• superior
• numero uno
• signal
• influential
• star
• stellar
• mighty
• noble
• renowned
• famed
• famous
• unequalled
• significant
• celebrated
• incomparable
• unparalleled
• momentous
• unsurpassed
• unequaled
• matchless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• last
• least
• minor
• secondary
• subordinate
• unimportant
• slight
• insignificant
• trivial
• negligible
• inferior
• collateral
• inconsiderable
• trifling
• subsidiary
• inconsequential

2

as in presiding

highest in rank or authority

the chief administrator will be retiring soon

Synonyms & Similar Words

• presiding
• foremost
• commanding
• supreme
• principal
• primary
• top
• senior
• leading
• lead
• first
• high
• head
• prime
• premier
• main
• in charge
• preeminent
• supereminent
• major
• supervisory
• high-level
• predominant
• managing
• overseeing
• paramount
• dominant
• reigning
• controlling
• sovereign
• ruling
• officiating
• upper
• directing
• superior
• uppermost
• ascendant
• topmost
• predominate
• regnant
• sovran
• ascendent
• grand
• upmost

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• second
• last
• less
• secondary
• lower
• subordinate
• lesser
• subsidiary
• ancillary
• inferior
• lowly
• assistant
• deputy
• junior
• assisting
• under
• coadjutor

chief

2 of 2

noun

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

• body
• core
• bulk
• weight
• majority
• main
• staple
• essence
• mass
• burden
• center
• whole
• root
• bottom
• heart
• nature
• entirety
• substance
• brunt
• middle
• focus
• generality
• sum
• heft
• meat
• matter
• amount
• subject
• soul
• total
• marrow
• kernel
• hub
• nucleus
• quantum
• seat
• totality
• aggregate
• sum total
• theme
• stuff
• text
• argument
• topic
• essentiality
• pitch
• pith
• affair
• motif
• point
• gist
• quintessence
• nut
• crux
• nub
• purport

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• extension
• adjunct
• accessory
• component
• constituent
• element
• part
• ingredient
• section
• division
• appendage
• offshoot
• accessary
• segment
• piece
• side
• feature
• quality
• aspect
• angle
• facet

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

• leader
• boss
• foreman
• captain
• commander
• director
• master
• manager
• head
• lord
• administrator
• overseer
• superintendent
• honcho
• supervisor
• executive
• headman
• helmsman
• president
• principal
• kingpin
• boss man
• taskmaster
• jefe
• governor
• steward
• general
• king
• ruler
• mistress
• skipper
• overlord
• czar
• directress
• superior
• employer
• magnate
• leadman
• standard-bearer
• sovereign
• prince
• bigwig
• baron
• figurehead
• potentate
• tsar
• dominator
• mogul
• straw boss
• higher-up
• big gun
• hierarch
• sovran
• top dog
• tzar
• coleader
• gaffer
• top gun
• cohead
• ganger
• big cheese
• subchief
• micromanager
• subdirector

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• secondary
• dependent
• subject
• subordinate
• junior
• underling
• inferior

Examples of chief in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Both candidates’ plans would probably raise the deficit and increase demand, including through government spending and tightening the labor market, Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM US, told CNN via email. —Alicia Wallace, CNN, 19 Aug. 2024

Prior to joining the coffee chain as its chief operating officer, Johnson served as chief executive of Juniper Networks, a tech company. —Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2024

Noun

Ferguson police released footage Tuesday of a man knocking over a police officer during protests that marked the 10th anniversary of the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an incident the city's police chief said left the officer with a severe brain injury. —Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 15 Aug. 2024

Todd Bertram, the police chief in Bargersville, Indiana, told a local news site that the department’s 13 Teslas are leading to roughly $80,000 in savings on fuel costs, freeing the agency up to hire two additional officers. —Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2024

Phrases Containing chief

• commander in chief