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
-
The 12 years with the fastest employment growth saw bosses statewide increase staffing at an average rate of 3% per year.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
-
Steer clear of authority figures, bosses and the police, because anger and frustration might get you into trouble.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Cox formulated his players-first approach by studying his elders.—
Mark Bradley for the AJC,
AJC.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Adrienna Wong, a senior attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, said Wednesday’s vote showed city leaders taking action on an issue that was personal to them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
The next generation of industry leaders will not rely solely on internal labs or occasional acquisitions.—
Anis Uzzaman,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Smythe played in several rock bands in New Zealand and has a masters in screen composition from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
Tragically, most of the multi-track masters from the Kinks recording sessions in the 1960s have been lost.—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superiors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superiors. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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