honchos
Those in charge
Honchos is the plural of honcho, a person in charge—a boss or leader.
The word comes from Japanese and entered English through American soldiers in the Korean War.
It often appears in the phrase head honcho, which is redundant but emphatic: The head honchos are meeting to discuss the merger.
Honcho can also be a verb meaning to organize or lead.
Managers or raised studs
- chiefsTop-ranking leaders
- leadersThose with authority
- executivesSenior corporate officers
- directorsThose who lead organizations
managers · heads · commanders · captains · supervisors · presidents · chairmen · kingpins
Dominant figures in organizations
- bossesManagers or raised studs
- godfathersMale baptismal sponsors
- donsPuts on attire
- caposCrime bosses or guitar clamps
crime lords · ringleaders · masterminds · gang leaders · mob bosses · overlords · underbosses · drug lords
Influential, powerful people
- big cheesesImportant, influential people
- big wheelsPowerful, influential individuals
- top brassSenior leadership collectively
- muckamucksInfluential, self-important people
VIPs · heavyweights · big kahunas · main men · top bananas · kingpins · ringleaders · high muckamucks
Highest corporate officers
- executivesSenior corporate officers
- tycoonsPowerful business leaders
- mogulsBumps or bigwigs
- magnatesWealthy, powerful industrialists
directors · board members · presidents · chairpersons · senior management · C-suite · VPs · founders
bosses
Managers or raised studs
- chiefsTop-ranking leaders
- leadersThose with authority
- executivesSenior corporate officers
directors · managers · heads · commanders · captains · supervisors · presidents · chairmen · kingpins · bigwigs
kingpins
Dominant figures in organizations
- bossesManagers or raised studs
- godfathersMale baptismal sponsors
- donsPuts on attire
capos · crime lords · ringleaders · masterminds · gang leaders · mob bosses · overlords · underbosses · drug lords · warlords
bigshots
Influential, powerful people
- big cheesesImportant, influential people
- big wheelsPowerful, influential individuals
- top brassSenior leadership collectively
muckamucks · VIPs · heavyweights · big kahunas · main men · top bananas · kingpins · ringleaders · high muckamucks · pooh-bahs
CEOs
Highest corporate officers
- executivesSenior corporate officers
- tycoonsPowerful business leaders
- mogulsBumps or bigwigs
magnates · directors · board members · presidents · chairpersons · senior management · C-suite · VPs · founders · owners
- VIPscelebrities, superstars, head of state, stars, legend
honchossubordinates
Those ranked below
underlings · minions · lackeys · peons · grunts
- head honchoChief in charge