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Definitions

top dog

NOUN
authority
Synonyms
STRONGEST
expert judge law
STRONG
Bible CEO arbiter aristocrat boss brains brass buff connoisseur czar egghead establishment exec executive feds governor guru kingfish kingpin pro professional professor pundit scholar specialist textbook upstairs veteran virtuoso whiz wizard
WEAK
big cheese big shot big wig city hall front office ivory dome power elite top brass top hand
Antonyms
STRONG
amateur greenhorn ignoramus proletariat rookie student
NOUN
big cheese
Synonyms
WEAK
VIP big enchilada big gun big kahuna big wheel boss chief head honcho influential person leader person in charge
NOUN
big deal
Synonyms
WEAK
VIP big cheese big enchilada big fish big gun big shot big wheel biggie bigwig boss boss man head honcho hotshot important person tycoon very important person
NOUN
boss
Synonyms
STRONGEST
administrator chief chieftain director employer executive leader owner supervisor
STRONG
controller exec foreperson head honcho overseer superintendent wheel
WEAK
big cheese big gun big person dominator girlboss head honcho helmer person in charge taskperson
Antonyms
STRONGEST
employee worker
STRONG
subordinate
NOUN
captain
Synonyms
STRONGEST
boss commander director executive leader officer operator owner pilot skipper
STRONG
CEO CFO authority cap chieftain exec guide head skip top
WEAK
four-striper head honcho higher up number one
Antonyms
STRONGEST
follower
NOUN
champion
Synonyms
STRONGEST
challenger champ defender hero medalist number one winner
STRONG
advocate ally backer conqueror endorser exponent expounder guardian heroine nonpareil paladin partisan patron proponent protector supporter sympathizer upholder vanquisher victor vindicator warrior
WEAK
numero uno the greatest titleholder
Antonyms
STRONG
antagonist enemy loser opponent opposition
NOUN
commander
Synonyms
STRONGEST
administrator captain chief commandant director head officer ruler
STRONG
boss co czar don exec guru kingfish kingpin mastermind skipper
WEAK
big cheese head honcho head person high priest/priestess higher up lead-off person point person top banana top brass
Antonyms
STRONGEST
employee worker
WEAK
follower
NOUN
director
Synonyms
STRONGEST
administrator chief executive head leader organizer player principal producer supervisor
STRONG
boss chair controller exec governor kingpin overseer skipper
WEAK
big person executive officer head honcho helmer key player person upstairs top person
Antonyms
STRONGEST
employee follower worker
NOUN
head
Synonyms
STRONGEST
chief commander director executive manager officer superintendent
STRONG
President boss captain chieftain honcho principal supervisor
WEAK
commanding officer dominator lead-off person
Antonyms
STRONGEST
employee
STRONG
worker
WEAK
bottom conclusion end ending finish follower foot ignorance inability rear stupidity
NOUN
honcho
Synonyms
STRONG
boss chief manager
Antonyms
STRONG
employee worker
NOUN
master
Synonyms
STRONGEST
administrator boss commander director guru instructor judge manager owner ruler teacher
STRONG
captain chief chieftain commandant conqueror controller employer general governor guide head lord matriarch overlord overseer patriarch pedagogue preceptor principal pro skipper superintendent supervisor swami taskmaster tutor wheel
WEAK
commanding officer head person schoolmaster/mistress spiritual leader
Antonyms
STRONGEST
employee follower pupil student worker
WEAK
amateur sancho servant
NOUN
official
Synonyms
STRONGEST
administrator agent bureaucrat civil servant commissioner director executive leader manager minister officer representative secretary
STRONG
CEO President boss brains brass chancellor comptroller dignitary exec functionary governor higher-up incumbent magistrate marshal mayor officeholder panjandrum premier top treasurer
WEAK
big shot front office head person top brass
Antonyms
STRONGEST
employee
NOUN
personage/personality
Synonyms
WEAK
VIP big shot bigwig brass celeb chief cynosure dignitary distinguished person eminence face hot shot individual luminary monster name public figure somebody star superstar worthy
Antonyms
WEAK
lowlife
NOUN
straw boss
Synonyms
WEAK
administrator big cheese big gun big person chief chieftain controller director dominator employer exec executive foreman foreperson forewoman head head honcho helmer honcho leader manager overseer owner person in charge superintendent supervisor taskmaster taskmistress taskperson wheel
NOUN
taskmistress
Synonyms
STRONG
administrator chief chieftain controller director employer exec executive foreman foreperson forewoman head honcho leader manager overseer owner superintendent supervisor taskmaster wheel
WEAK
big cheese big gun big person dominator head honcho helmer person in charge taskperson
Antonyms
STRONG
employee follower worker
NOUN
top banana
Synonyms
WEAK
ace big enchilada bigwig head honcho main comic second to none star
NOUN
victor
Synonyms
STRONG
champ champion conqueror first hero king medalist queen subjugator top vanquisher winner
WEAK
conquering hero defeater gold medalist greatest prizewinner titleholder
Antonyms
STRONG
loser
NOUN
winner
Synonyms
STRONGEST
champ champion first hero medalist number one
STRONG
conqueror titleholder vanquisher victor
WEAK
conquering hero medalwinner prizewinner
Antonyms
STRONG
loser
WEAK
failure

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.

If the new chips it is building with Groq prove fast, efficient and affordable enough to dominate the competition, then the company will likely remain top dog.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

He noted that Nvidia remains the “clear top dog in AI chips,” and CEO Jensen Huang is likely to “remind the market who’s in charge” when the company posts fourth-quarter earnings tomorrow.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

Berkshire Hathaway announced on Monday a number of changes at the top of the management pyramid, just weeks before Warren Buffett is set to retire as the top dog.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 8, 2025

"Well, he's a top dog in 2025 - absolutely, yeah," Shearer replies coyly, before the pair and Gary Lineker erupt into fits of giggles.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2025

Supposedly, he’s the top dog in his field.

From "The Freedom Writers Diary" by The Freedom Writers

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.