top-brass
Generals and admirals
Top-brass refers collectively to the highest-ranking officers in a military organization or, by extension, senior executives in any institution: The top-brass approved the new strategy.
The term emphasizes hierarchy and authority, often with a hint of distance between leadership and ordinary members.
Sometimes written without the hyphen.
Broad statements or commanders
- admiralsSenior naval commanders
- commandersMilitary authority figures
- pentagonFive-sided closed figure
- brigadiersSenior military officers
colonels · war-room · marshals · commandants · five-star · four-star
Senior corporate officers
- CEOsHighest corporate officers
- directorsThose who lead organizations
- c-suiteTop corporate officers collectively
- managementOrganizing and directing resources
chairmen · presidents · vice-presidents · chiefs · tycoons · magnates · industrialists · financiers
Ranked authority structure
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
jurisdiction · delegation · directive · mandate · control · supervision · enforcement · policy
One's relative position
- rankPosition in hierarchy
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- eminenceElevated rank or renown
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
stature · recognition · elite · exclusivity · privilege · establishment · high-ranking · VIPs
Informal power or punch
- pullForce toward oneself
- leverageBorrowed capital for amplified returns
- swayRock back and forth
- powerEnergy transfer rate
connections · networking · lobbying · backing · endorsement · access · patronage · behind-the-scenes
generals
Broad statements or commanders
- admiralsSenior naval commanders
- commandersMilitary authority figures
- pentagonFive-sided closed figure
brigadiers · colonels · war-room · marshals · commandants · five-star · four-star
executives
Senior corporate officers
- CEOsHighest corporate officers
- directorsThose who lead organizations
- c-suiteTop corporate officers collectively
management · chairmen · presidents · vice-presidents · chiefs · tycoons · magnates · industrialists · financiers · decision-makers
hierarchy
Ranked authority structure
- commandAuthoritative instruction given
- governanceHow authority is exercised
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
administration · jurisdiction · delegation · directive · mandate · control · supervision · enforcement · policy · decision-making
status
One's relative position
- rankPosition in hierarchy
- distinctionNotable difference or honor
- eminenceElevated rank or renown
prominence · stature · recognition · elite · exclusivity · privilege · establishment · high-ranking · VIPs · dignitaries
clout
Informal power or punch
power · connections · networking · lobbying · backing · endorsement · access · patronage · behind-the-scenes · string-pulling
top-brassenlisted soldiers
Military personnel below officers
rank and file · grunts · foot soldiers · privates · enlisted men
top-brassunderlings
Lower-ranked employees
peons · minions · nobodies · small fry · bottom-feeders
top, tops, topped, topping, topmost, topless, brass, brasses, brassy