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.

---

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

---

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

Before Ohtani took batting practice, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts took questions about his biggest star’s tepid start and said he wasn’t worried.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

“Current Middle East unrest is already starting to impact business operations by increasing lead times, costs, container delays and the like,” one manager in the food and beverage category told the survey.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

"He's a very outspoken manger. He's a manager in a similar way to Jose Mourinho or Antonio Conte that Tottenham have had in the past."

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Buffett, a fan of Apple CEO Tim Cook, praised the Apple leader, calling him a “fantastic manager and a good guy. He gets along with everyone in the world.”

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

The mining station manager had promised to clean up the poison tide, and she was keeping her word.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown

Related Words

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