BOSSES Synonyms: 125 Similar and Opposite Words

bosses 1 of 2

noun

plural of boss

as in leaders

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

bosses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of boss

as in supervises

to be in charge of she bossed that project for years, until she was promoted again

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in rules

to exercise authority or power over bossed the entire job site for a year

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in leads

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 bosses

Noun

The budget at Liverpool has historically been less-easily loosened than at some of their rival clubs, though Hughes succeeded in persuading his bosses to break their transfer record to go big for Wirtz, Isak and Barcola. — James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Vanhée ended the night dancing alongside her bosses to a Fatboy Slim set in the pub. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 When union dues are forced, union bosses can ignore workers’ needs and interests with impunity. — Mark Mix, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026 The Fox bosses have been known to bristle at that — which helps explain why Bartiromo’s disclosure to the White House was such a big deal internally. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026 What Billy doesn’t realize is how little any of that matters in the real game—the one being played by the town’s political bosses. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Ohtani threw about 20 pitches in a bullpen session Friday and wasn’t 100%, and that set off alarm bells with the Dodgers’ bosses. — Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026 There has long been a feeling in Osterley that Love bosses struggled to come to terms with surrendering their ownership to Sky in 2020. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026 Still, the constant death against even low-level grunt enemies, let alone fearsome bosses, is annoying and obnoxious. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026

Verb

The show comes from Goalhanger’s drama bosses Joel Emery and Adam Jarrell, and was developed with input from current and former military and defence professionals, including serving airborne serviceman and military adviser Sergeant Dave Allen. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026 No harm, no foul — as long as the commission bosses back the changes, Zelden said. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026 Dano and Collette joined co-stars Abigail Breslin and Greg Kinnear and their director bosses Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris at the screening. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bosses

Noun

Business leaders can’t predict their way through today’s turbulent environment—and should stop trying.

— Danny Vincent, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2026
Evans walked into the 49ers locker room, with a lot of veteran leaders, and has fit in well.

— Vic Tafur, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of leaders

Verb

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
The quotation should identify who designs the hairline, administers local anesthesia, performs recipient incisions and supervises graft placement.

— Malana VanTyler, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of supervises

Verb

And rules about how the government may enforce such a law must be very clear, and have to be presented in a precise way to states, agencies or others before they can be accused of any violations.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
To the extent these independent contentions were intended to imply that NBA rules permit teams, at the request of players, to initiate off-court income opportunities for players, that implication is incorrect.

— John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of rules

Noun

Customers were very important; workers, foremen.

— Michael Kilian, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
For years after that, TCU alums who had served as Ranch Week foremen or queen would proudly include it on resumes, in professional biographies or when running for office.

— Matt Leclercq, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2025

Definition of foremen

Verb

Last year, Florida trustees approved the hiring of Michigan president Santa Ono, but the board that oversees all of the state’s universities and colleges rejected him.

— Matt Baker, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
But the education department oversees the Commission for Independent Education, which licenses unaccredited, private schools like Carleen.

— Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of oversees

Verb

Long-term resource potential Technical performance alone cannot justify a project; economic balance governs actual field deployment.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
The fight centers on the interpretation of the 2015 state Senate Bill 34, which governs ALPR use.

— Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of governs

Verb

Going any higher in the range, into Z06 and ZR1 territory, commands bravery and many, many more dollars.

— Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
Nuclear power currently commands more political attention, more corporate investment and more technological hype than at any point in at least three decades.

— Interesting Engineering, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026