1. Plural of bossism; the practice or system of control by a political boss or group of bosses, especially in local politics.
Usage: informal; chiefly North American; often used in historical or political contexts

Examples

• The city's government was plagued by bossisms that favored wealthy donors.
• Historians studied the bossisms of early 20th-century urban politics.
• Reform movements sought to eliminate bossisms from the municipal system.
• The old bossisms gave way to more transparent governance structures.
• Political scientists examined how bossisms maintained power through patronage networks.