as in domineering
fond of ordering people around
I don't want to work with him because he's so bossy and always runs roughshod over me
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Recent Examples of bossy
With the aid of his bossy mom Audrey (a delectable Amanda Redman) who comes to live with him and his two dachshunds, Daniel turns into an amateur sleuth and comes up with red herrings and clues aplenty pertaining to World War II history, secrets, trysts and even paintings.
—
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
On the second take, Russell’s bossy tone rubbed up nicely against the neediness of the moment.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
The Boy Is Mine Tour kicking off next month, many fans were curious to know if the duo would ask concertgoers to adapt a certain dress code, with the pair coming up with a bossy suggestion that speaks to their positions in the music game.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 19 Sep. 2025
August begins with Mars’ debut in Libra, energizing your bossy 10th house of authority, career and reputation in the world, prompting you to focus on your professional life and public image, which leaves little time for romance.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bossy
Randy Myers, Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2025
On the second take, Russell’s bossy tone rubbed up nicely against the neediness of the moment.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
The Boy Is Mine Tour kicking off next month, many fans were curious to know if the duo would ask concertgoers to adapt a certain dress code, with the pair coming up with a bossy suggestion that speaks to their positions in the music game.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 19 Sep. 2025
August begins with Mars’ debut in Libra, energizing your bossy 10th house of authority, career and reputation in the world, prompting you to focus on your professional life and public image, which leaves little time for romance.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bossy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bossy
Adjective
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Since determining whether someone is domineering is subjective and could vary based on different perspectives, that statement is unlikely to qualify as defamation.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Set in medieval England, Anne (Turner) is torn between her domineering live-in mother-in-law Morwen (Marcia Gay Harden) and a new love interest, Jago (Harington).—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Bin Salman, known informally as MBS, is Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and has been criticized for having a similar authoritarian leadership style.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
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Yesterday, more than 50,000 Minneapolis residents joined a peaceful general strike against this authoritarian overreach.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Jan. 2026
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Spock is this brilliant, arrogant, aloof-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness genius.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bossy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bossy. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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