manager
Americannoun
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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
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a person who manages.
the manager of our track team.
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a person who controls and manipulates resources and expenditures, as of a household.
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British. (formerly) a theatrical producer.
noun
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a person who directs or manages an organization, industry, shop, etc
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a person who controls the business affairs of an actor, entertainer, etc
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a person who controls the training of a sportsman or team
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a person who has a talent for managing efficiently
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law a person appointed by a court to carry on a business during receivership
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(in Britain) a member of either House of Parliament appointed to arrange a matter in which both Houses are concerned
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of manager
Explanation
It makes sense that a manager is someone who "manages," or takes charge of something. A baseball team manager is in charge of running the team, while a business manager oversees finances, scheduling, and the everyday operation of the business. The probable origin of the word manager comes from the Latin manus, meaning "hand." A good manager provides the necessary "hand," guiding others. The Italian maneggiare means "to control," and was especially used with reference to training horses, a job for which certain managers you've worked for might be better suited. The word extends beyond human beings as well: the file manager on your computer is a program designed to organize data.
Vocabulary lists containing manager
Like A Boss: Words for the Person in Charge
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Because of Winn-Dixie
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Words for the World Series
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Quadir never expected to be a hedge-fund manager.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
“I would have never thought this,” said Nick Higgins, the brand’s general manager.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Joe Torre, with four championships as manager of the New York Yankees on his résumé, was in his first year in L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The popular football magazine Four Four Two last week selected USA and former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes as its pundit of the tournament, external.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
The manager breezes out of a door with a big smile on her face.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
The talent pool McKinnon pulls from includes theater managers, retired projectionists, trainees from specialized college programs and even workers in other professions who take PTO for the occasion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
He added that “assets are being consolidated,” with the top five managers controlling more than half of the small-cap space.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
Lilly’s launch was also slowed by the time it took to secure reimbursement coverage from major pharmacy-benefit managers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
He also encouraged landowners and land managers to take precautionary measures including the readying of specialist fire equipment.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
“I know where all my area managers are. Be more careful, Jason, or you’ll cause someone an injury. Until Wednesday, Mike.”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
