adjectiveinformal
Often telling other people what to do in an annoying way.
My little brother is bossy and always tells us where to sit.
Good to know
This word is usually negative.
Common phrases & grammar
bossy child · sound bossy
American English
How to pronounce bossy
adjectiveB1
BAWsee
/ˈbɔ.si/
2 syllables · Stress the first syllable.
Often telling other people what to do in an annoying way.
What to listen for
“Bossy” is usually pronounced /ˈbɔ.si/. You may also hear /ˈbɑ.si/ in some American accents where these vowels sound the same.
Usual pronunciation/ˈbɔ.si/
Common alternate/ˈbɑ.si/
Meanings & examples
Related words & forms
The y changes to i before -er and -est: bossier, bossiest.