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

Sting plays Jackie White, a shipyard foreman whose health is deteriorating at the moment his community needs him most. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 May 2026

The truck just leans into the work and gets on with life like a ranch foreman who drinks coffee black and silently judges your hitch setup. —New Atlas, 27 May 2026

His absence from work resulted in a demotion from lead foreman to an assistant role. —Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2026

Parked outside is Jeb, the ranch foreman introduced earlier alongside the Weavers. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 25 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foreman

• longshoreman
• longshoremen
• metformin
• corpsman
• corpsmen
• 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