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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
slang
as in excellent
of the very best kind
that's a really boss stereo you've got
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to supervise
to be in charge of
she bossed that project for years, until she was promoted again
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to rule
to exercise authority or power over
bossed the entire job site for a year
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to lead
to serve as leader of
bossed the entire gang of electricians on the construction project
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of boss
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
They are joined by love interests Margaret, another bird, and human girl Eileen, coworkers Skips, Muscle Man and Hi-Five, boss Benson and park owner Pops.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 May 2026
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
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Sun Ra was simultaneously impish and imperious, bossing us with wiggles of his hands.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for boss
Noun
Your glow-up starts now, so act like a boss!
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 11 May 2026
They are joined by love interests Margaret, another bird, and human girl Eileen, coworkers Skips, Muscle Man and Hi-Five, boss Benson and park owner Pops.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 May 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
Pop trends For the last several years, girls bossed the pop charts.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
Sun Ra was simultaneously impish and imperious, bossing us with wiggles of his hands.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for boss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boss
Noun
-
The detentions come after a handful of other arrests months earlier, but Fúnez has long been pinpointed by local environmental and religious leaders as the man who spearheaded the assassination.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Unlike other Western leaders—and the foreign-policy establishment in Washington—Sánchez sees China in more pragmatic terms rather than as necessarily a strategic rival.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Christopher Sanchez has once again been excellent, and Jacob Misiorowski has often looked unhittable with over 14 strikeouts per nine innings.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
The excellent, nonprofit gallery and incubator known as PlatteForum has moved around a bit over the years, and will reopen in the Art District on Santa Fe starting June 5.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Our Rescue provided resources to help pay for software to search suspects’ computers and cellphones, according to Liam Doyle, supervising investigator with the district attorney’s office.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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The lawsuit claims that Santana was the lead detective assigned to the case, while Smith was the sergeant who supervised the investigative team.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
The court ruled that lawmakers had circumvented anti-gerrymandering standards passed by voters when adopting the prior map.—
David A. Lieb,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
That battle tilted further toward Republicans when the Virginia Supreme Court ruled Friday that Democratic lawmakers had violated constitutional requirements when placing a redistricting amendment on the ballot.—
Kim Chandler,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Hamilton may face Senate scrutiny over his lack of experience leading an emergency management agency, though his defense of FEMA’s federal role has earned respect among disaster management professionals.—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Former Denver Broncos quarterback Craig Morton, who led the franchise to its first Super Bowl appearance in 1977, died Saturday at 83.—
Matt Moret,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Lee is the jury foreman, who goes flying with the rest of the group when Banner transforms into the Hulk while testifying.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
7 May 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
This awesome little robovac-mop is literally shaving a full workday a week off her already insane I'm-a-mom schedule.—
Joe Salas
May 09,
New Atlas,
9 May 2026
-
There was an awesome sequence where Seth hit a superplex, but Bron countered with a Falcon Arrow of his own.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Schiraldi oversaw a particularly difficult period on Rikers.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
Known for opulent dining rooms and chic bistros from Hong Kong to Palm Beach, 71-year-old Daniel Boulud has overseen his eponymous flagship on the Upper East Side of Manhattan — site of THR‘s New York issue party — for over 30 years.—
Beth Landman,
HollywoodReporter,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Boss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boss. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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