You don't have proper dignity as chief of the section.
Source: tatoeba (16242)
Chief
/t͡ʃiːf/
Synonyms for "chief" (509 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (102)
Noun(19 words)
a per seaceachievementacmaticalerionall-absorbinganimal chargeannuletanointed kingantecedentanteriorapicalarchargentarmorial bearingsarmoryarmsascendantat the headauditor
Show 59 more words
azurebandeaubannerbarbar sinisterbasicbatonbearingsbendbend sinisterbig brotherbig cheesebig gunbig wheelbig-timerbigwigbilletblazonblazonryboatswainbordurebossbroad arrowbwanacadency markcantoncapitalcaptaincardinalcentralchampionchapletcharacterchargechefchevronchieftainchurch dignitaryclimacticcoat of armscockcockatricecommandercommandingcomptrollerconsequentialconsummatecontrollercontrollingcoronetcrescentcrestcrosscross molinecrowncrowned headcrowningdeandevice
Adjective(4 words)
cardinal determinercentral channelcentral issuechosen field of study
Strong matches (153)
dictatordifferencedifferencingdignitarydirectingdirectivedirectorialdirectorydominantdoyendoyenneducedynasteagleecclesiarcheffectiveelderelectronics kingeminenceemperor
Show 106 more words
employerermineermineserminiteserminoisescutcheonessentialexordialfalconfessfess pointfieldfilefirstfirst and foremostflanchfleur-de-lisfloor managerfloormanfloorwalkerfocalforeforegoingforehandforemanforemostforwardfretfrontfrontalfuglemanfuhrerfurfusilgaffergangergarlandgeneralgeniusgoodmangoverninggovernorgrandgrand dukegreatgreatestgriffinguidinggulesgurugyronhatchmentheadheadingheadmanheadmostheavyweighthegemonichegemonistichelmetheraldic devicehierarchhighhigh chiefhigh priesthigher uphigher-uphighesthimselfhonchohonor pointhusbandimpalementimpalingimperatorimportantimportant personin ascendancyin chargein chiefin the ascendantinauguralinescutcheoninitiatoryinspectorkeykingking-emperorkingfishkingletkingpinlabellaureateleadleaderleadingleading lightliegeliege lordlionlordlord paramountlozengeluminarymagisterialmaiden
Noun(20 words)
Adjective(7 words)
dominant traitdominant trendexecutive bodyhistoric leaderindependent eventskey factleading role
Related words (254)
mainmajestymajormanmanagermanagerialmanagingmantlingmarshalingmartletmasclemastermaster spiritmaximalmaximummeridianmeridionalmetalmomentousmonarch
Show 149 more words
monitormostmottomulletnombril pointnoncommissioned officernonpareilnotabilitynotablenumber oneoctofoilorordinaryorleoutstandingoverlordovermanovermostoverridingoverrulingoverseerpadronepalepalyparagonparamountpaterfamiliaspatriarchpatronpeanpersonagepersonalitypetty kingpheonpotentpotentateprecedentprecedingprecessionalprecursorypredominantpredominatepreeminentprefatorypreliminarypreludialprelusivepremierpreparatoryprepollentpreponderantpreponderateprepotentprevailingprevalentprevenientprima donnaprimalprimaryprimeprinceprince consortprincipalpriorproctorprodigyproemialprominentpropaedeuticpurpurequarterquarteringrabbirankingregnantregulatingregulativeregulatoryreigningresponsibleringleaderroseroyalroyal personageroyaltyrulerrulingsablesahibsalientsaltirescutcheonseigneurseigniorseniorshieldsignificantsirdarskipperslave driversovereignspread eaglestaplestarstaretsstellarstraw bosssubforemansubordinarysummitalsupersupereminentsuperintendentsuperiorsupermansuperstarsupervisorsupremesurveyorsuzeraintaskmasterteachertellingtennetetrarchthe greatestthe mosttincturetip toptip-toptoptop dogtopflighttopmosttorsetressureultimateunicornupmostuppermostvairvertverticalvirtuosovisitorweightywreathyalezenithal
Adjective(37 words)
mainmain academic subjectmain argumentmain armymain authoritymain coursemain pointsmain programmain subjectsmain thememajor cnidarian groupsmajor fieldmajor organ systemmajor reformsmasterpredominant influenceprimaryprimary causeprimary componentprimary criterion
Show 17 more words
primary diagnosis codeprimary factorprimary goalprimary indexprimary language for learningprimary languagesprimary principleprimary productionprimary purposeprimary responseprimary subjectprimary unitprincipalprincipal agentsenior diagnosticiantop numbertopmost level
Noun(44 words)
Adverb(1 words)
more main
Determiner(3 words)
most animalmost key-pointmost oral historians
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: boss, chieftain, head, a per se, ace.
- Sentence evidence is available for chief, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, wiktionary, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "chief".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "chief"
Keep "chief" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "chief" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "chief", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "chief" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
11 entriesMore specific
16 entriesagency chiefcentral issuecentral motivechief executivechief executive officerchief financial officerchief medical officerdepartment chieffire chiefleading causemain drivermain objectivemilitary chiefpolice chiefprimary aimprimary reason
Collocations
10 entrieschief aimchief architectchief concernchief executivechief factorchief of staffchief reasondepartment chieffire chiefpolice chief
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
2 entriesimportantof import
Translations
4 translations across 4 languages.
Finnish
1 entries- johtaja noun (informal address)
Galician
1 entries- xefe noun (informal address)
Icelandic
1 entries- meistari noun (informal address)
Russian
1 entries- команди́р noun (informal address)
Sample sentences
21 total sentences available.
The fact that educated Americans in general no longer share understandable background knowledge is a chief cause of their inability to communicate effectively.
Source: tatoeba (19002)
In 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks' chief god, Zeus.
Source: tatoeba (20237)
The section chief made me work like a slave.
Source: tatoeba (23659)
Showing 4 of 21 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "chief"?
Closest matches include boss, chieftain, head, a per se, ace.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "chief"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.