chiefly
Americanadverb
-
primarily; essentially.
He phoned chiefly to let us know he was feeling better.
-
mainly; mostly.
This dish consists chiefly of noodles.
adjective
adverb
-
especially or essentially; above all
-
in general; mainly; mostly
adjective
Related Words
See especially.
Etymology
Origin of chiefly
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at chief, -ly
Explanation
Use the adverb chiefly to mean "mostly" or "primarily." You could say your history class is chiefly focused on 18th century American history if all your teacher wants to talk about is the American Revolution. If you usually ride your bike to work, you can say, "I'm chiefly a bicycle commuter," and your neighbor's obituary might mention that she'll be chiefly remembered for her work as a civil rights activist in the 1960s. You can also use chiefly to mean "for the most part," when you talk about the contents or composition of something: "My granola is chiefly almonds." The word comes from the Old French chief, "principal" or "first."
Vocabulary lists containing chiefly
Essential English Vocabulary, List 7
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The Horse and His Boy
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Bad Boy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Chiefly written by band leader RM, it's a song about surrendering to the currents of life and moving forward, even when the tide threatens to pull you under.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
Chiefly, they are relatively immune when the stock market loses liquidity and investors rush to safety.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026
Chiefly, it was unclear whether he meant testing weapons systems or actually conducting test explosions -- something the United States has not done since 1992.
From Barron's • Oct. 30, 2025
Chiefly by attacking those who have brought them to light, including the jurisdictions that have filed lawsuits against the energy companies.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2023
Chiefly of course as an object of taxation, but in other respects too.
From Royal Highness by Mann, Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
