1
: most importantly : principally, especially
Examples of chiefly in a Sentence
Adverb
our video collection consists chiefly of comedies, but we have a few horror movies
Recent Examples on the Web
Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Residents four years ago voted 3,022 to 439 to join the Trust for Public Land in buying Meadowood for more than $6 million, chiefly with the goal of preserving the former farmland and fields from large-scale development.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2025
MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Many Europeans, chiefly men of French heritage, lived in the region outside those places.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
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Adverb
Soto’s defensive struggles contribute to their 108.4 fly ball multiplier, while 1B Pete Alonso and 3B Mark Vientos are chiefly culpable for their 123.2 grounder multiplier.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Residents four years ago voted 3,022 to 439 to join the Trust for Public Land in buying Meadowood for more than $6 million, chiefly with the goal of preserving the former farmland and fields from large-scale development.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2025
Adjective
Our own arcane and slow processes are chiefly to blame.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Many Europeans, chiefly men of French heritage, lived in the region outside those places.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiefly
Cite this Entry
“Chiefly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chiefly. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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