foreman

noun

fore·​man ˈfȯr-mən 

: a first or chief person: such as

a

: a member of a jury who acts as chairman and spokesman

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

• 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

Umanzor Molina, 39, a construction foreman who worked on projects at Miami International Airport, was detained in a day care parking lot in Aventura, Florida. —Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025

First responders were summoned to the scene, as Brockman’s foreman put on climbing gear, ascended the tree and assisted in lowering him to the ground. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2025

Former town employee John Nikoloff, a former working foreman for the municipal water company, said the town typically flushes hydrants twice a year, in the spring and again in the fall. —Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 6 Oct. 2025

Melchor was a foreman on a sugarcane plantation, and Luisa was a laundress. —Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025

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