Illustration of boss
- boss 1b
plural bosses
1
: a person who exercises control or authority
union bosses
a mafia boss
specifically
: one who directs or supervises workers
asking your boss for a raise
2
politics
: someone who controls votes in a party organization or dictates appointments or legislative measures
standing up to the party bosses
3
: a major antagonist in a game (such as a video game or board game) and usually one that must be overcome in order for a player to progress
At the start of each level players have 30 minutes to run around and beat the boss of the level.—
GameRant.com
GameRant.comIt's a hard game, with a hard final boss, and watching video of people defeating it is so, so sweet.—Cameron Kunzelman
—often used before another nounCameron Kunzelmana boss fight/battle
boss characters
bossed; bossing; bosses
1
: to give usually arbitrary orders to
—usually used with around
Quit bossing me around.
2
: to exercise control or authority over : to act as boss (see boss entry 1) of
need someone to boss that job
slang
: excellent, first-rate
a boss new rock band
1
a
: a raised ornamentation (as on a belt or shield) : stud
b
: an ornamental projecting block used in architecture
c
: a protuberant part or body
a boss of granite
a boss on an animal's horn
2
: a soft pad used in ceramics and glassmaking
3
: the hub of a propeller
bossed; bossing; bosses
1
: to embellish (something, such as a belt or shield) with a raised decoration : to ornament with bosses (see boss entry 4) : emboss
a bossed book cover
2
: to treat (something, such as the surface of porcelain) with a boss
Did you know?
The Dutch settlements in North America all came under English rule in the 1660s and 1670s, but Dutch continued to be spoken in the region long afterward. In American English, the lexical heritage of the Dutch colonies includes dope, stoop (meaning “porch”), and Santa Claus. Perhaps the most pervasive Dutch loanword is boss, from the Dutch baas, meaning “master.” The word first appears in the form boss in 1806, used by Washington Irving. Part of its success seems to have resulted from an American aversion to master, which was common in British use.
Synonyms of boss
Relevance
Noun (1)
Verb (1)
Adjective
Examples of boss in a Sentence
Noun (1)
every morning the boss hands out a list of top-priority tasks
Verb (1)
she bossed that project for years, until she was promoted again
bossed the entire job site for a year
bossed the entire gang of electricians on the construction project
Adjective
a boss new rock band
that's a really boss stereo you've got
Recent Examples on the Web
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
3 July 2026
And ordering wine even when the boss hasn’t is exactly that—showing bold initiative.
—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Some had spent the majority of the first 45 minutes monitoring their phones for Tottenham updates rather than watch their team be bossed and bullied by a more physical and motivated Sunderland side.
—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
24 May 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for boss
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.
Noun
Among those courtside include members of the NBA champ New York Knicks; Kelce’s Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, other teammates and coaches; ex-Disney boss Bob Iger and spouse Willow Bay; and current Disney powerhouse Dana Walden.
—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
3 July 2026
And ordering wine even when the boss hasn’t is exactly that—showing bold initiative.
—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
3 July 2026
Verb
No leader can unilaterally impose his or her will on the American public the way a patriarch can boss around employees at a family company.
—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
24 June 2026
Some had spent the majority of the first 45 minutes monitoring their phones for Tottenham updates rather than watch their team be bossed and bullied by a more physical and motivated Sunderland side.
—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
24 May 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
See All Example Sentences for boss
Cite this Entry
“Boss.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boss. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boss
2 of 5 verb
: to ornament with bosses : emboss
boss
3 of 5 nounˈbȯs
1
: the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells workers what to do
2
: the head of a group
especially
: a powerful politician who controls party business
boss
adjective
boss
4 of 5 verb1
: to be in charge of
boss a job
2
: to give orders to
don't boss me around
Etymology
Noun
Middle English boce "raised rounded part," from early French boce (same meaning)
Noun
from Dutch baas "master"
Medical Definition
boss
noun
: a protuberant part or body
a boss on an animal's horn
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
