chief guest

USAGE SUMMARY

"chief guest" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is often used to refer to a guest of honor at a special event. For example, "The University's President was the chief guest at the graduation ceremony."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Mr Modi took offence.In January Barack Obama was the chief guest at India's Republic Day celebrations.

The Economist

This year it promises the Right Hon Priti Patel at the event as chief guest.

The Guardian - Opinion

Sakari Oramo will be chief guest conductor from 2008, when his 10-year tenure ends.

The Guardian

Inside, Daniel Barenboim, the company's chief guest conductor, delivered a short preperformance speech from the podium, also condemning the cuts.

The New York Times

By contrast, his chief guest was George Osborne, by some accounts a decent and human and very funny cove.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

But Mr. Ratmansky will not be parting ways with the Bolshoi; he has been appointed chief guest choreographer.

The New York Times - Arts

Succeeding the long-serving Janos Strasser as Head of the Music Staff in 1973, from 1994 until 2007 he returned annually as Chief Guest Coach.

Independent

After the brouhaha last year over Oprah Winfrey's star-spangled reception, the selection of this year's chief guest seems to have been tempered on purpose.

The New York Times

It's great that I can work with the company's chief guest choreographers — with Christopher Wheeldon and Wayne McGregor, as well as the stunning young choreographer Liam Scarlett.

The New York Times

He has also served as the chief guest editors for special issues for the Proceedings of IEEE and the IEEE Signal Processing Magazine.

University of California, Berkeley

Chief Guest Editor of the special issue on "Applications of Compressive Sensing and Sparse Representation" for the Proceedings of IEEE, June 2010.

University of California, Berkeley

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "chief guest", ensure the context clearly indicates the event and the guest's specific role or significance.

Common error

Avoid using "chief guest" in informal settings where a less formal term like "guest of honor" or "special guest" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "chief guest" functions as a noun phrase that identifies an individual who has been given a place of honor at a particular event or ceremony. Ludwig's examples confirm this usage across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Formal & Business

30%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Academia

7%

Science

7%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "chief guest" is a common and grammatically correct noun phrase used to denote a guest of honor at an event. Ludwig AI confirms its wide applicability across various domains, with News & Media and Formal & Business being the most frequent contexts. While "chief guest" is suitable for formal settings, related phrases like "guest of honor" or "special guest" might be more appropriate for informal situations. Remember to contextualize the use of "chief guest" to clearly indicate the event and the guest's role.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

guest of honor

Replaces "chief" emphasizing the honor bestowed upon the guest.

honored guest

Directly points to the honor being given to the guest.

principal guest

Substitutes "chief" with "principal", highlighting the guest's primary importance.

special guest

Emphasizes the guest's unique and valued presence.

distinguished guest

Highlights the guest's eminence and notable qualities.

keynote speaker

Specifies the guest's role as a speaker delivering a significant address.

esteemed guest

Highlights the high regard and respect held for the guest.

featured guest

Focuses on the guest being a prominent highlight of the occasion.

leading dignitary

Indicates the guest's high rank and importance.

main speaker

This alternative shifts the focus to the individual's role as the central speaker at the event.

FAQs

How is "chief guest" typically used in a sentence?

The phrase "chief guest" is generally used to identify an individual who holds a place of honor at an event. For instance, "The President served as the "chief guest" at the Republic Day celebration".

What are some alternative ways to say "chief guest"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "guest of honor", "principal guest", or "special guest".

Is it appropriate to use "chief guest" in formal writing?

Yes, "chief guest" is perfectly appropriate for formal writing, particularly in news reports, official announcements, and academic papers.

What distinguishes a "chief guest" from a regular guest?

The "chief guest" is given a place of honor and is often invited to speak or participate in key events, while regular guests are simply attendees.