manager

American  

[man-i-jer] / ˈmæn ɪ dʒər /

noun

1. a person who has control or direction of an institution, business, etc., or of a part, division, or phase of it.

   Synonyms:

   boss, supervisor, superintendent, executive, administrator

2. a person who manages.

   the manager of our track team.

3. a person who controls and manipulates resources and expenditures, as of a household.

4. British. (formerly) a theatrical producer.

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manager British  

/ ˈmænɪdʒə /

noun

1. a person who directs or manages an organization, industry, shop, etc

2. a person who controls the business affairs of an actor, entertainer, etc

3. a person who controls the training of a sportsman or team

4. a person who has a talent for managing efficiently

5. law a person appointed by a court to carry on a business during receivership

6. (in Britain) a member of either House of Parliament appointed to arrange a matter in which both Houses are concerned

7. a computer program that organizes a resource, such as a set of files or a database

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Usage

What does manager mean? Manager most commonly refers to a person who supervises employees in a company or other organization.Managers are typically somewhere in the middle level of an organization—the term most commonly refers to a person who is a boss but also has a boss. Manager is the noun form of the verb manage, which has many meanings but commonly means to be in charge of or supervise employees.Example: After six years, I’ve finally been promoted to the position of manager.

Other Word Forms

• managership noun
• submanager noun
• submanagership noun
• undermanager noun

Etymology

Origin of manager

First recorded in 1580–90; manage + -er ¹

Example Sentences

That was “not taken well by investors” concerned about fiscal creep, says James Lim, portfolio manager for Korea at Dalton Investments.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

“I work in fashion, where vanity is very high,” said Auth, 33, a senior account manager for Wolford, a luxury lingerie and hosiery brand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

England manager Thomas Tuchel has said Phil Foden does not have a guaranteed place in his World Cup squad.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

Bucknor, who has been an MLB umpire since 1996, ejected Red Sox manager Alex Cora after calling Trevor Story out on a check swing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The CDO manager, in practice, didn’t do much of anything, which is why all sorts of unlikely people suddenly hoped to become one.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• administrator
• boss
• controller
• director
• executive
• officer
• official
• organizer
• producer
• superintendent
• supervisor