honcho

noun

hon·​cho ˈhän-(ˌ)chō 

plural honchos

: boss, big shot

also : hotshot sense 1

Did you know?

A relic of the large U.S. presence in Japan in the years following World War II, the word honcho comes from the Japanese word hanchō meaning “leader of the squad, section, group.” We are uncertain of the exact route by which honcho found its way into American military argot in the mid-1950s, though it is known that the Japanese applied hanchō to British or Australian officers in charge of work parties in prisoner-of-war camps. By the 1960s, the word had become part of colloquial American jargon.

Synonyms of honcho

• heavyweight
• big
• heavy
• magnate
• bigwig

Examples of honcho in a Sentence

the office was all abuzz because some honchos from corporate headquarters were coming for a visit

he's definitely the head honcho in that company

Recent Examples on the Web

Though admitting the transition after her father, a construction honcho, left her mother, a philanthropist, was tough, all is well now. —Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 12 Jan. 2026

Viewers also appreciated the clever way it was cut short by Fran Drescher, using her power as the former SAG-AFTRA honcho to end the musical number. —Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026

After signing to Rough Trade, the band released Schlagenheim, produced by Speedy Wunderground honcho and scene shepherd Dan Carey, to rave reviews in 2019. —Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 12 Jan. 2026

The Estonian Film Institute honcho Edith Sepp concurred with him. —Annika Pham, Variety, 14 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Japanese hanchō squad leader, from han squad + chō head, chief

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing honcho

• head honcho

Rhymes for honcho

• broncho
• concho
• poncho