as in bosses
one who is above another in rank, station, or office
if a customer is rude to you, report it to your superior and she'll handle it
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Recent Examples of superiors
Brown’s team submitted an affidavit to superiors at the DOJ that did not make a strong enough case to move forward with what Olsen wanted.
—
ProPublica, 1 May 2026
Lower-ranking officers were able to tell their superiors what wasn’t going well and argue forcefully for changing course.
—Cody Turner, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Though young missing-persons detective Dalia (May Calamawy) is earnest in her attempts to help, her superiors cast suspicion on Katie’s parents; eight years later, the girl is still missing, while the family has relocated to New Mexico.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Xi was trusted to hear his superiors discuss such state secrets.
—Michael Sheridan, Vanity Fair, 8 Apr. 2026
Motions to dismiss charges in the case paint some of the officers as rookies deferring to their superiors.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The younger Altman was ousted in February 1998 for failing to tell his superiors about the existence of a controversial videotape that showed firefighters drinking beer and using racial slurs at a firehouse retirement party, the Tribune previously reported.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Polymeropoulos described a case involving a serviceman who was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and recommended for the Purple Heart by his superiors.
—Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
The man asks for a cigar and the jail superintendent doesn’t need to ask for his superiors’ permission.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
ProPublica, 1 May 2026
Lower-ranking officers were able to tell their superiors what wasn’t going well and argue forcefully for changing course.
—Cody Turner, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Though young missing-persons detective Dalia (May Calamawy) is earnest in her attempts to help, her superiors cast suspicion on Katie’s parents; eight years later, the girl is still missing, while the family has relocated to New Mexico.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Xi was trusted to hear his superiors discuss such state secrets.
—Michael Sheridan, Vanity Fair, 8 Apr. 2026
Motions to dismiss charges in the case paint some of the officers as rookies deferring to their superiors.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The younger Altman was ousted in February 1998 for failing to tell his superiors about the existence of a controversial videotape that showed firefighters drinking beer and using racial slurs at a firehouse retirement party, the Tribune previously reported.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Polymeropoulos described a case involving a serviceman who was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and recommended for the Purple Heart by his superiors.
—Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
The man asks for a cigar and the jail superintendent doesn’t need to ask for his superiors’ permission.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superiors
Noun
-
But this layered intelligence rarely travels beyond marketing teams into boardrooms where bosses have the final say.—
Alex Cooper,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
And according to my scorecard, which averaged grades across five economic yardsticks, Powell’s eight years at the helm earned the second-worst California-centric score compared with the previous four central bank bosses.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Clemishire, along with her father, filed a $1 million defamation suit in Dallas County against Morris, his wife, Debbie, the church, its current and former elders and a church staff member.—
Giles Hudson,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
But in an abrupt shift, a new poll released Monday finds young people’s confidence has plummeted over the past two years — while their elders remain more upbeat.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Following community debate over safety versus access to alternative mobility options, city leaders in La Mesa voted to ban e-bike use for riders under 12.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
The leaders discussed trade on Thursday, with Xi saying that China’s door of opportunity will open wider.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
While some of Na's fellow Korean genre masters, like Bong Joon Ho, have found global renown, for many cinephiles, Na is overdue for the kind of global introduction a Cannes premiere provides.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
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Then, nearly three decades later, Shipp dug up his masters from the shed after a writer inquired about them.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superiors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superiors. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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