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
Synonym Usage
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Horse and His Boy
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Bad Boy
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
His tuberculosis, which before it killed him at age 40 led to rest “cures” at sanatoriums notable chiefly for their ineffectiveness?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
The CIA is the agency chiefly involved in spies and counterspies.
From Slate ● Jul. 1, 2026
From 55-5 overnight in their chase of 254, New Zealand's disappointing week was complete when they were hustled out for 138, thanks chiefly to Gus Atkinson's 5-30.
From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026
Demand loss is being seen chiefly in the Middle East, in Asian frontier economies and in Africa, where there is little surplus and scant ability to absorb higher costs.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 24, 2026
At that time some hundreds of bombs were dropped on industrial centers, chiefly in European Russia, Western Europe, and North America.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
