foreman

noun

fore·​man ˈfȯr-mən 

: a first or chief person: such as

a

: a member of a jury who acts as leader and spokesperson for the jury

b(1)

: a chief and often specially trained worker who works with and usually leads a gang or crew

(2)

: a person in charge of a group of workers, a particular operation, or a section of a plant

foremanship

ˈfȯr-mən-ˌship 

noun

Synonyms of foreman

• boss
• leader
• manager
• captain
• chief
• master
• commander

Examples of foreman in a Sentence

asked the shift foreman if he could take a break

Recent Examples on the Web

Place, a foreman and driver for Camelback Moving, asked the guard what was happening. —Sydney Page The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 8 Mar. 2026

Holloman was a foreman at ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, which designs and builds custom aluminum seats for asphalt, dirt, road racing, and drag racing, the company reported in a Facebook post. —Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026

Add in overtime hours, or being a foreman, and electricians can make closer to $200,000 a year. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Mar. 2026

Bernie’s an engineer with the Highway Commission, Vic manages a supermarket bakery, and Don is a foreman at the Green Bay Packaging Corporation. —Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foreman

• longshoreman
• longshoremen
• metformin
• corpsman
• foremen
• mormon
• warman

Kids Definition

foreman

noun

fore·​man ˈfōr-mən 

ˈfȯr-

1

: a member of a jury who is the leader

2

: a person in charge of a group of workers

Legal Definition

foreman

noun

fore·​man

plural foremen

: a male or female member of a jury who acts as the leader and speaks for the jury