Synonyms of bosses

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• leaders
• foremen
• managers
• chiefs
• masters
• captains
• commanders
• directors
• heads
• supervisors
• lords
• administrators
• executives
• superintendents
• overseers
• taskmasters
• honchos
• kingpins
• jefes
• headmen
• presidents
• helmsmen
• governors
• principals
• generals
• superiors
• rulers
• boss men
• employers
• stewards
• kings
• mistresses
• overlords
• bigwigs
• skippers
• magnates
• princes
• barons
• higher-ups
• sovereigns
• potentates
• leadmen
• hierarchs
• moguls
• dominators
• straw bosses
• czars
• figureheads
• standard-bearers
• directresses
• big guns
• micromanagers
• gangers
• top dogs
• gaffers
• coleaders
• top guns
• subchiefs
• big cheeses
• coheads
• subdirectors

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• subordinates
• subjects
• dependents
• juniors
• secondaries
• underlings
• inferiors

bosses

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of boss

1

as in supervises

to be in charge of

she bossed that project for years, until she was promoted again

Synonyms & Similar Words

• supervises
• oversees
• handles
• heads
• commands
• manages
• captains
• steers
• orders
• guides
• watches over
• controls
• quarterbacks
• directs
• runs
• overlooks
• superintends
• shows
• rides herd on
• calls the tune (for)
• monitors
• calls the shots (of)
• shepherds
• rules
• administers
• presides (over)
• reigns
• governs

2

as in rules

to exercise authority or power over

bossed the entire job site for a year

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rules
• governs
• controls
• captains
• dictates
• commands
• dominates
• presides (over)
• domineers
• manages
• masters
• leads
• heads
• sways
• oversees
• administers
• micromanages
• supervises
• regulates
• reigns (over)
• directs
• conducts
• oppresses
• conquers
• tyrannizes
• superintends
• lords (it over)
• subjugates
• subdues

3

as in leads

to serve as leader of

bossed the entire gang of electricians on the construction project

Synonyms & Similar Words

• leads
• commands
• captains
• heads
• controls
• spearheads
• oversees
• dominates
• manages
• directs
• supervises
• handles
• governs
• regulates
• runs
• superintends

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• yields (to)
• submits (to)
• follows
• serves
• obeys
• complies (with)
• bows (to)
• defers (to)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of bosses

Noun

Office life has changed dramatically in the years since the pandemic, and many of us are still adjusting to the reality of being back in the room with our colleagues and bosses. — Morgan Sullivan, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026

So the Nineties theme looked like a way to remind the new corporate bosses of why MTV used to rule as the musical epicenter of pop culture. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026

The result isn’t necessarily that Gen Z employees communicate better or worse with their bosses and colleagues than previous generations did. — Jeff Leblanc, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026

Some practically threw themselves at their bosses feet, supplicating for a reversal. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 23 Sep. 2026

The bosses of two rival firms, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and SpaceX’s Elon Musk, quickly concurred. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 21 Sep. 2026

Alom is part of a group of immigrants who have arrived in the city over the past five years with the goal of starting businesses, building careers and becoming their own bosses. — Maykel Gonzalez, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026

Resident Evil 2 fans will most certainly notice a resemblance to William Birkin, the Umbrella scientist whose G-Virus mutations progressively transform him into one of the franchise’s most terrifying bosses. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2026

Discord reigned in the intensifying debate over AI safety regulation, with tech bosses taking opposing stances and government leaders sharing little common ground. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 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