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
This minimalist response, especially from superiors, can inadvertently signal status and disengagement, forcing employees to interpret its true meaning.
—
Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Time now to forge a united front that can make life tough for NFC West superiors in Seattle and Los Angeles.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
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
Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Time now to forge a united front that can make life tough for NFC West superiors in Seattle and Los Angeles.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for superiors
Noun
-
The Gunslinger versus the evil Rancher (or space crime syndicate bosses, as the case may be).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
The second time around, Kimmel faced no repercussions from his corporate bosses.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The church elders welcomed the soft-spoken, articulate Latino whose maternal grandfather, Abraham Fernandez, was a Presbyterian minister.—
Richard J. Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 May 2026
-
Often women are stressed in their work life and trying to balance their home lives and maybe taking care of kids and taking care of aging elders.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
So, the Navy is forging ahead trying to make the best of ships its leaders didn’t want just a few years ago.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
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The signs of progress come as Oakland’s leaders consider weakening other forms of oversight for their police department.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Their masters stood nearby, traders in thick mantle coats with handkerchiefs wrapped round their heads, smoking and chatting in French.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
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Inspired by these clumsy masters of thermal management, scientists have created a material that can passively switch between heating and cooling modes.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Superiors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/superiors. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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