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

Mentorship opens unexpected doors The shop foreman at Sam Pack encouraged him to take advantage of industry certification opportunities at Dallas College while also pursuing a degree. —Robbie Owens, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026

Chavez, who worked as a construction foreman at the lab in Los Alamos, New Mexico, disappeared in May 2025. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026

Had worked as a construction foreman at Los Alamos National Laboratory. —Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026

Chavez, a 78-year-old retiree who worked as a foreman supervising construction at the site, also disappeared in May 2025, according to Los Alamos police. —Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 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