boss and foreman share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. boss means “a person who exercises control over workers”. foreman means “a person who exercises control over workers”. boss is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɑs/
1.n.a person who exercises control over workers
“if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman”
2.n.a person responsible for hiring workers
“the boss hired three more men for the new job”
3.n.a person who exercises control and makes decisions
“he is his own boss now”
/ˈfɔɹmən/
1.n.a person who exercises control over workers
“if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman”
2.n.a man who is foreperson of a jury
| boss | foreman | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɑs/ | /ˈfɔɹmən/ |
| Said | bahs | FAWR-muhn |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb, adjective | noun |
| Senses | 7 | 2 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | foreman, chief, gaffer | chief, gaffer, honcho |
Full entry for boss · Full entry for foreman · More comparisons