alpha dog
Top canine figure
The alpha dog is the dominant individual in a group—originally the leader of a wolf pack, now applied to any person who asserts control in social or professional settings.
The term reflects a disputed theory of wolf hierarchy, but it persists in popular usage: He's always been the alpha dog in our friend group.
Often shortened to simply alpha.
Group or compress
- hierarchyRanked authority structure
- territoryLand under jurisdiction
- controlAuthority to direct
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
command · supremacy · primacy · dominance · power · rule · submission · subordinate
Top-ranking leader
- bossWorkplace superior
- captainOne who commands
- commanderPerson with authority over others
- headUppermost body part
kingpin · patriarch · matriarch · mentor · guidance · director · helmsman · forerunner
Self-assurance or trust
- boldCourageous and daring
- commandingExerting strong authority
- territorialDefensive about owned space
- challengingHard to accomplish
intimidating · forceful · competitive · decisive · authoritative · aggressive · unyielding · headstrong
pack
Group or compress
authority · command · supremacy · primacy · dominance · power · rule · submission · subordinate · rank
chief
Top-ranking leader
head · kingpin · patriarch · matriarch · mentor · guidance · director · helmsman · forerunner · trailblazer
confidence
Self-assurance or trust
- boldCourageous and daring
- commandingExerting strong authority
- territorialDefensive about owned space
challenging · intimidating · forceful · competitive · decisive · authoritative · aggressive · unyielding · headstrong · domineering
guardian
Protective caretaker of another
loyal · patrol · sentinel · shield · safeguard · escort · warden · custodian · sentry
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- bigwigsbigwig, big shot, big wig, VIP, big kahuna
- wolf packspack leader, wolves, pack dynamics, pack mentality, breeding pair
- competition metaphorslevel playing field, race to the bottom, win-win, rat race, front runner
- Greek lettersbeta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeta
alpha dogbottom dog
Lowest-ranked person
omega · underdog · follower · subordinate · beta
alpha dogfollower
One who supports another
pushover · doormat · submissive · wallflower · shrinking violet