chiefadjective [ before noun ]
uk/tʃiːf/us/tʃiːf/chief adjective [ before noun ] (MOST IMPORTANT)
B2 most important or main:
The chief problem we have in the area now is the spread of disease.
The weather was our chief reason for coming here.
More examples
- My chief concern is to prevent any spread of the disease.
- Coffee and rice are the country's chief exports.
- Cars are the chief reason for the city's pollution levels.
- You must try to relax and not to worry - that's the chief thing.
- The chief suspect for the robbery is a Caucasian male.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Very important or urgent
- all-important
- arch
- at all cost(s) idiom
- be a matter of life and/or death idiom
- burning
- considerable
- critical
- crucial
- make the world go around/round idiom
- materially
- minor league
- mission-critical
- moment
- radical
- sacred
- salient
- serious
- seriously
- substantial
- substantially
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chief adjective [ before noun ] (PERSON IN CHARGE)
B2 highest in rank:
the chief fire officer/accountant
More examples
- The new police chief has really made his presence felt.
- The chief of police said that he was committed to wiping out vice in the city.
- He was a Zulu chief.
- They had to consult with their chiefs.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Important people and describing important people
- august
- baron
- be the cat's whiskers idiom
- big fish/gun/noise/shot/wheel idiom
- big hitter
- fat cat
- high up
- high-powered
- high-ranking
- honcho
- kingpin
- lead singer
- mogul
- personage
- superior
- superiority
- the big boys
- the bigger they are, the harder they fall idiom
- the grand old man of sth idiom
- the great and the good idiom
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chiefnoun [ C ]
uk/tʃiːf/us/tʃiːf/B2 the person in charge of a group or organization, or the ruler of a tribe:
a police chief
A new chief of the security forces has just been appointed.
[ as form of address ] UK humorous Can you sign this form for me, chief?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
People in charge of or controlling other people
- administrator
- authority
- bureaucrat
- chairman
- chairperson
- force
- giant
- guiding spirit
- headman
- helicopter parent
- hierarchy
- kingmaker
- leader
- marshal
- operator
- overlord
- paymaster
- pillar
- powerhouse
- presidency
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Idiom(s)
too many chiefs and not enough Indians