boss 1 of 3

noun

ˈbȯs How to pronounce boss (audio)
Definition of bossnext
as in leader
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

boss

2 of 3

adjective

ˈbȯs How to pronounce boss (audio)
slang
as in excellent
of the very best kind that's a really boss stereo you've got

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

boss

3 of 3

verb

ˈbȯs How to pronounce boss (audio)
1
as in to supervise
to be in charge of she bossed that project for years, until she was promoted again

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2
as in to rule
to exercise authority or power over bossed the entire job site for a year

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3
as in to lead
to serve as leader of bossed the entire gang of electricians on the construction project

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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 boss
Noun
Use Your Voice​ A customer service leader client of mine had a boss who micromanaged her into smaller and smaller spaces. — Heather Heefner, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Ellison is said to be a boss who is loyal to his underlings, particularly with his own hires. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
Adjective
That’s basically the boss level of the shopping game—and usually requires hours of research. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 20 Nov. 2025 This excludes things like putting in legendaries for end of mission rewards or taking them out of non-boss chests. — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2021
Verb
No harm, no foul — as long as the commission bosses back the changes, Zelden said. — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026 Be ready to boss up and take dominion of situations that are seemingly out of your control (but won’t be for long) to help attain a sense of security. — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for boss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boss
  1. leader
  2. excellent
  3. supervise
  4. rule
  5. lead
  6. foreman
  7. awesome
  8. oversee
Noun
  • Tuesday night’s episode of NBC’s The Voice saw team leaders Kelly Clarkson, Adam Levine, Queen Latifah, and Riley Green complete their rosters as the Blind Auditions came to an end.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
  • French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the government and school leaders must listen to students' concerns and find solutions.
    — NICOLAS GARRIGA, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of leader
Adjective
  • There’s an excellent Anantara Spa and a state-of-the-art fitness center onsite, but the highlight of the property is its 60-foot-long oceanfront infinity pool, which overlooks the entire expanse of Stone Town beach.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Mikey Madison is excellent as a whistleblower driven by love, not spite.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of excellent
Verb
  • An engineer may have no human direct reports but still direct five agents, and a finance professional may supervise an agentic workflow.
    — Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • At least three employees supervised by Perera have filed bullying complaints with DIR’s Office of Equity and Risk.
    — Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • In a blow to the investment migration industry, the European Union's top court ruled Malta's golden passport program unlawful in April 2025, declaring that EU citizenship could not be sold.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Critics and opposition parties accuse it of altering voter registrations to give an advantage to the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of rule
Verb
  • Simone and Brower now lead between one and three tours each week, carrying a flag that shows a picture of Primrose, who stays home.
    — KYLE MELNICK THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • No arguing the Aces believe in A'ja Wilson, their do-everything, reigning MVP center and the WNBA's leading scorer this season at 26 points per game.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of lead
Noun
  • Rooms in the back of the second and third floors had mahogany window frames that peered into the main space, allowing a foreman to supervise workers.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The Nepal Electricity Authority named the two men who were rescued alive as 30-year-old Sanjay Sah, a mechanical foreman from Saptari district in eastern Nepal, and Kabir Maharjan, 45, a mechanical supervisor from Kathmandu.
    — Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of foreman
Adjective
  • These cans offer awesome sound features like Hi-Res clarity, 50 hours of battery life, a 5-minute fast charge that can give you 4 hours of playback.
    — Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Technology is at the heart of facials, especially, from a skin analysis machine and facial sculpting wand to a cryotherapy mask that was positively icy—but also awesome—at -4 degrees Fahrenheit.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of awesome
Verb
  • Alternatively, take your pick from the five onsite restaurants—spanning Mediterranean, Mexican, Japanese, and European cuisines—overseen by former Top Chef contestant Chef Christian Bravo.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Russell’s Reserve is distilled at Wild Turkey, where master distiller Eddie Russell, son of the legendary Jimmy Russell, oversees production.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of oversee

Phrases Containing boss

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bosquets
boss
boss (around)
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Cite this Entry

“Boss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boss. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about boss

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