businessman

noun

busi·​ness·​man ˈbiz-nəs-ˌman How to pronounce businessman (audio)
-nəz-, 
-mən
Synonyms of businessmannext
: a man who transacts business
especially : a business executive

Examples of businessman in a Sentence

I know it's hard for him to sell his paintings. He's always been a better artist than businessman.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The song is a tale of a small town drying up as businessmen buy up all the land, and Supernaw — with his distinctive twang — sang it as a hard-luck ballad. — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2026 Alaska’s bid for statehood, in the late nineteen-fifties, was in part a matter of keeping the hands of Seattle businessmen off local salmon stocks. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 In the race to replace City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield in the west San Fernando Valley, businessman Tim Gaspar reported bringing in nearly $584,000 during the runoff campaign, compared with about $287,000 for legislative aide Barri Worth Girvan. — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 The book opens with the suicide of a wealthy Munich businessman named Dieter Frisch near Vienna, leading to flashbacks of a revenge plot orchestrated through the game of chess. — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for businessman

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of businessman was in 1803

Rhymes for businessman

See All Rhymes for businessman

Browse Nearby Words

business machine
businessman
businessman's risk
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Businessman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/businessman. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

businessman

noun
busi·​ness·​man ˈbiz-nə-ˌsman How to pronounce businessman (audio)
-nəz-ˌman
: a man in business especially as an owner or manager

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