Executive
noun/adjective
Definition
1. (noun) A person in a high position in a company or organisation who makes important decisions and manages other people.
2. (adjective) Connected to making decisions, managing, or running a company or government — used to describe power, roles, or actions.
2. (adjective) Connected to making decisions, managing, or running a company or government — used to describe power, roles, or actions.
Context Alive
Your friend just got a big promotion. They made her a senior executive at her company. She sent you a photo of her new office on the top floor. You told her that's amazing and asked when she's taking you out to celebrate. She said she's excited but also nervous. She has to make big decisions now and she's not sure she's ready. You told her she'll be fine. She replied saying she already had three meetings before lunch on her first day.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 A Senior Person in a Company (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about someone who holds a high-level position in a company or organisation — someone who makes big decisions and leads teams. Imagine walking into a large office building and being told you have a meeting with one of the executives on the top floor — that's someone with real authority and responsibility. This is describing a person whose job involves running things, setting direction, and making calls that affect the whole company. You might hear "she's a senior executive at a tech firm" about someone with a leadership role, or someone could say "the executives decided to close the London office" when talking about big company decisions. Or picture a news report about a banking scandal — the executives are the people at the top who are being questioned about what went wrong. The word suggests authority, responsibility, and a certain level of status in the business world.
✏️ Executive is a broad title. It can refer to a CEO running a global company or a mid-level manager with decision-making power. The word itself doesn't tell you exactly how senior someone is — that's why you'll often see it paired with words like "senior," "chief," or "junior" to make the level clear. In everyday conversation, calling someone "an executive" generally means they're important enough to make real decisions.
2 Related to Decision-Making Power (Adjective) Common ▼
This meaning is about describing something that relates to management, authority, or the power to make decisions. Imagine a president signing an executive order — that's a decision made using the highest level of governmental authority, without needing a vote. This is describing the quality of having decision-making power or being connected to leadership. You might hear "she made an executive decision to cancel the project" when someone in charge makes a call without consulting everyone, or someone could say "the executive branch of government" to refer to the part that enforces laws. Or think about a meeting where someone says "let's see the executive summary" — they want the short, high-level version that only covers the key points for decision-makers. The word suggests authority, control, and the ability to act.
✏️ The phrase "executive decision" is used a lot in everyday English, often in a slightly humorous way. If you're choosing a restaurant with friends and nobody can decide, you might say "I'm making an executive decision — we're getting pizza." It means you're taking charge and deciding for everyone, even if you don't technically have that authority.
Common Patterns
Noun Patterns
a/the/an + executive → referring to a person in a leadership role
She became an executive at one of the biggest banks in the country.
adjective + executive → specifying the level or type of executive
He's a senior executive who reports directly to the CEO.
chief executive (officer) → the highest-ranking person in a company
The chief executive announced the merger at the annual meeting.
Adjective Patterns
executive + noun → describing something related to leadership or authority
She made an executive decision to shut down the failing product line.
executive + branch/power/order → used in political contexts for governmental authority
The executive branch is responsible for enforcing the country's laws.
executive + summary/report → a short, high-level overview for decision-makers
Can you send me the executive summary before the board meeting?
Collocations
10 collocationssenior executive
a high-ranking leader in a company
chief executive
the top leader of a company — often short for CEO
executive decision
a decision made by someone in charge, often quickly and alone
executive team
the group of top leaders who run a company together
executive board
a group of executives who govern an organisation
executive summary
a short overview of a longer document, made for busy decision-makers
executive order
an official command issued by a president or leader
executive power
the authority to make decisions and enforce rules
executive branch
the part of government that enforces laws
executive position
a high-level job with management responsibilities
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
She worked her way up from intern to executive in just eight years.
She climbed from an entry-level position to a senior leadership role in only eight years.
2
The executives held an emergency meeting after the data breach was discovered.
The top managers gathered urgently when the security leak came to light.
3
He made an executive decision to cancel the event because of the weather forecast.
He took charge and called off the event after seeing the bad weather prediction.
4
As a young executive, she felt pressure to prove herself to the older board members.
As a young leader, she felt the need to show the more experienced directors she was capable.
5
The president signed an executive order banning the import of certain chemicals.
The president issued an official command that prohibited bringing in specific chemicals.
6
I only read the executive summary because the full report was over 200 pages.
I only looked at the short overview since the complete document was more than 200 pages long.
7
The company's executive team flew to Tokyo for the partnership negotiations.
The company's top leadership group travelled to Tokyo to discuss the new partnership deal.
8
She has real executive power — nothing happens in this department without her approval.
She holds genuine authority — no decision in this department moves forward unless she agrees.
9
Three executives were fired after the company's financial scandal became public.
Three senior leaders lost their jobs when the company's money problems were exposed.
10
He doesn't have an executive title, but everyone knows he's the one who really runs things.
He doesn't officially hold a leadership position, but everyone knows he's the person actually in charge.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsmanager
broader and more general — can refer to any level of management, not just top leadership
director
similar level of authority but often refers to someone heading a specific department
leader
more general — doesn't carry the corporate or formal tone that executive does
Antonymssubordinate
someone who works under another person's authority
employee
a general worker — implies no decision-making power
assistant
someone who supports a leader rather than being one