as in assistants
a person who helps a more skilled person
the drug lord has a pair of brutal lieutenants who do most of his dirty work for him
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Recent Examples of lieutenants
The federal prosecutors created a crime family chart depicting Hynes at the top and his three lieutenants.
—
John O’Hara, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Cook became one of Jobs' loyal lieutenants and was elevated to the role of operations chief in 2005.
—Jonathan Vanian,jennifer Elias,kif Leswing, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
The immediate future of the inspector general’s office is particularly pressing now because of recent revelations that one of Johnson’s most senior lieutenants, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Garien Gatewood, had lodged a whistleblower complaint with Witzburg’s office last October.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Most national leaders surround themselves with like-minded lieutenants who share their politics and priorities.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has yet to take a stance on the deal, several of his top lieutenants have praised it.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
Harris was succeeded 16 years later, in 2015, by Kunzweiler, who had been one of his top lieutenants.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Babineau, one of his top lieutenants who served as co-head of original content at the network and briefly as Head of Comedy Central Content & Creative Enterprises following Alterman’s exit, left at the end of 2020 after six years.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
While Colligan and top lieutenants continue to report to work, the relationship between the creative execs and Woodrow and Singh is distressed.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
John O’Hara, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Cook became one of Jobs' loyal lieutenants and was elevated to the role of operations chief in 2005.
—Jonathan Vanian,jennifer Elias,kif Leswing, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
The immediate future of the inspector general’s office is particularly pressing now because of recent revelations that one of Johnson’s most senior lieutenants, Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Garien Gatewood, had lodged a whistleblower complaint with Witzburg’s office last October.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Most national leaders surround themselves with like-minded lieutenants who share their politics and priorities.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
While House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has yet to take a stance on the deal, several of his top lieutenants have praised it.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
Harris was succeeded 16 years later, in 2015, by Kunzweiler, who had been one of his top lieutenants.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
Babineau, one of his top lieutenants who served as co-head of original content at the network and briefly as Head of Comedy Central Content & Creative Enterprises following Alterman’s exit, left at the end of 2020 after six years.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 24 Mar. 2026
While Colligan and top lieutenants continue to report to work, the relationship between the creative execs and Woodrow and Singh is distressed.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lieutenants
Noun
-
Joined by four assistants with umbrellas and eyes on the train, Gaga and Maxwell walked by The Metropolitan Museum of Art with a wagon full of Champagne labeled Haus of Gaga behind them.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
1 May 2026
-
The ad called for the supervision of a team of graduate assistants or interns.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Experts and congressional aides have said that Iran was likely able to preserve some of its arsenal by deploying decoys and dispersing weapons around the country.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
-
There are six hopefuls vying to replace Price, including one of his longtime aides, a candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and a hopeful supported by Mayor Karen Bass.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The Baptism of Christ is generally believed to have been completed by El Greco’s son and other apprentices in his workshop in the decade after the artist died.—
Leigh Anne Miller,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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Art historians believe it was unfinished at the time El Greco died in 1614 and that it was completed by the painter’s son, Jorge Manuel, with help from other apprentices in El Greco’s workshop.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Talley at one or two points engaged the sheriff’s deputies who stood over him throughout the hearing and at one point started laughing as Pekara argued for his detention.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department At the time, a separate LASD news release said that deputies were called to the 13200 block of Jarvis Avenue near 132nd Street in the Athens Park area after learning of a shooting in the area.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In her performance of Francis Poulenc’s operatic monodrama La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice), Hannigan turned that problem — and many more — into an advantage with a couple of technological aids.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
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In some cases, people with spasmodic dysphonia may use communication aids or devices, such as those that translate text to speech.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
He-Man is assisted by a ragtag assortment of toy-friendly sidekicks known as the Heroic Warriors; Skeletor's stooges are the similarly imaginatively titled the Evil Warriors.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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Can the Spurs win if the sidekicks aren’t sharpshooters?—
Mike Finger,
San Antonio Express-News,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lieutenants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lieutenants. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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