chief
gb/t͡ʃˈif/ us/t͡ʃˈif/
A2
English
~ 2100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Leader or person in charge
The person who is the boss or leader of a group or organization.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is the chief of [a group/organization]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'chief' (a person) with 'chef' (a cook).
Synonyms
leader (More general; can refer to anyone who leads, not necessarily the top-ranked official.)
|
head (Often used for the top person in an organization; slightly more informal in some contexts.)
Antonyms
subordinate (Refers to someone lower in rank or authority.)
Collocations
police chief
|tribal chief
|fire chief
|chief executive
|chief officer
Themes
leadership
|work
|politics
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The police chief announced new safety measures.
- She was appointed chief of the marketing department.
- The tribal chief welcomed visitors to the village.
Learner examples
- The fire chief spoke to the news.
- He is the chief of our team.
- The chief told us what to do.
adjective
B1
property
2
Most important or main
Most important; main.
Usage pattern:
the chief [reason/cause/problem]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'chief' as an adjective with 'chef' or think it always refers to a person.
Synonyms
main (Very similar meaning; more common in everyday speech.)
|
principal (Slightly more formal; often used in academic or professional contexts.)
Antonyms
minor (Describes something of lesser importance.)
Collocations
chief reason
|chief cause
|chief concern
|chief objective
Themes
general
|priorities
|core_vocabulary
|business
Examples
- Lack of funding was the chief reason for the delay.
- Her chief concern is the safety of the children.
- The chief aim of this project is to improve efficiency.
Learner examples
- The chief reason is money.
- My chief worry is my health.
- Our chief goal is to finish on time.
Grammar
Dictionary form
chief
IPA
GB/t͡ʃˈif/
US/t͡ʃˈif/
Syllables & stress
chief (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (chief)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: chief
Noun
- Base: chief
- Plural: chiefs
Word family
Forms
chiefs
noun
Core family
chiefly
adverb B2
Related words
chieftain
noun
Advanced or less common
chiefdom
noun
Expressions
chief among them
1/t͡ʃˈif əmˈʌŋ ðˈɛm/
fixed phrase
The most important one mentioned
Used to say which thing is the most important out of a group just talked about.
Examples
- Several issues were discussed, chief among them the need for better security.
- Many reasons were given, chief among them his lack of experience.
chief of staff
1/t͡ʃˈif əv stˈæf/
fixed phrase
Senior aide to a leader
The person who helps a leader by managing their office and team.
Examples
- The president's chief of staff met with reporters.
- She was promoted to chief of staff after five years in the department.