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boss 1 of 3

noun

ˈbȯs How to pronounce boss (audio)
Definition of bossnext
as in leader
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do every morning the boss hands out a list of top-priority tasks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

boss

2 of 3

adjective

ˈbȯs How to pronounce boss (audio)
slang
as in excellent
of the very best kind that's a really boss stereo you've got

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

boss

3 of 3

verb

ˈbȯs How to pronounce boss (audio)
1
as in to supervise
to be in charge of she bossed that project for years, until she was promoted again

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2
as in to rule
to exercise authority or power over bossed the entire job site for a year

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3
as in to lead
to serve as leader of bossed the entire gang of electricians on the construction project

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of boss
Noun
Gina Raimondo, the former national secretary of commerce who was once Smiley's boss, endorsed the incumbent mayor. — Colin Hogan, The Providence Journal, 10 Sep. 2026 Still, his boss said Ramirez could no longer present for work Thursday. — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Adjective
That’s basically the boss level of the shopping game—and usually requires hours of research. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025 This excludes things like putting in legendaries for end of mission rewards or taking them out of non-boss chests. — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2021
Verb
No harm, no foul — as long as the commission bosses back the changes, Zelden said. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026 Be ready to boss up and take dominion of situations that are seemingly out of your control (but won’t be for long) to help attain a sense of security. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boss
  1. leader
  2. excellent
  3. supervise
  4. rule
  5. lead
  6. foreman
  7. awesome
  8. oversee
Noun
  • New Hampshire’s premier Senate race is on after party leaders secured their top choices in what’s shaping up to be one of the tightest contests in the entire country come November.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Singapore pays its political leaders high salaries to attract talent and deter graft, but the issue is thorny in the city-state, where the median wage worker made S$5,775 ($736) a month in 2025.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of leader
Adjective
  • An individual company can maintain excellent controls and favorable claims experience while still facing higher pricing because the market has deteriorated around it.
    — Randy Sadler, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Food and drink The property’s on-site restaurant serves decent New American fare in a room that offers the same excellent views as the penthouses, or on the hotel’s delightful terrace during the warmer months.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of excellent
Verb
  • The following year, he was sentenced to 188 months, nearly 16 years, in prison, with five years supervised release.
    — Emily Trainham, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • In her current role, Second Assistant District Attorney, Sprague supervises all homicides that occur in Plymouth County as well as all firearm and narcotics cases, according to her profile.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • With Indian money now ruling cricket, the Big Bash risked being left behind.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Construction on the new White House ballroom and demolition of the East Wing have faced significant legal challenges, though the Supreme Court recently ruled in a 5-4 decision that construction can continue.
    — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of rule
Verb
  • The leading causes of alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in 2023 were liver, esophageal and colorectal cancer, according to the study.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Gemini May 21 – June 20 A playful idea could lead somewhere much more interesting.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
Definition of lead
Noun
  • The Nepal Electricity Authority named the two men who were rescued alive as 30-year-old Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman from Saptari district in eastern Nepal, and Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor from Kathmandu.
    — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Officials identified them as a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor at the Trishuli 3A plant.
    — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of foreman
Adjective
  • San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy looked awesome, and its defense looked even better.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • For our two main characters, their version of hell is kind of awesome in some ways.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of awesome
Verb
  • Baker’s been a visible presence on Capitol Hill since taking the reins at the NCAA in 2023, overseeing a sprawling network of sports from football and basketball to wrestling and volleyball.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Kavanaugh oversees emergency requests from Missouri and acted on his own without referring the matter to the full court.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of oversee

Phrases Containing boss

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bosquets
boss
boss (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Boss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boss. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on boss

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boss

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