chairman

1 of 2

noun

chair·​man ˈcher-mən How to pronounce chairman (audio)
plural chairmen
Synonyms of chairmannext
1
: a person and especially a man who serves as chairperson
the chairman of the board
the chairman of the college's English department
2
: a carrier of a sedan chair
chairmanship
ˈcher-mən-ˌship How to pronounce chairman (audio)
noun

chairman

2 of 2

verb

chairmaned or chairmanned; chairmaning or chairmanning

transitive verb

: chair sense 1

Synonyms of chairman

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Noun

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Examples of chairman in a Sentence

Noun the chairman of the airline company the chairman called the meeting to order
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.
Noun
Tanenbaum has been chairman of the NBA board of governors since 2017 and was last reelected in 2024. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 6 July 2026 Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, struck a similar note, but with an emphasis on responsibility. — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Verb
The tax code gives the Ways and Means chairman the ability to request any tax returns from the Treasury Department and says that the Treasury secretary shall provide those returns. — Richard Rubin, WSJ, 15 Dec. 2021 Daniel Zhang, who had succeeded Ma as CEO and eventually chairman some years prior, unexpectedly announced plans to step down in 2023. — Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 24 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chairman

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chairman was circa 1643

Rhymes for chairman

See All Rhymes for chairman

Browse Nearby Words

chairmaker's rush
chairman
chairman of the board
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chairman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chairman. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

chairman

noun
chair·​man
ˈche(ə)r-mən, 
ˈcha(ə)r-
: chair sense 2c
chairmanship
-ˌship
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on chairman

Nglish: Translation of chairman for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chairman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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