kingpin

noun

king·​pin ˈkiŋ-ˌpin 

1

: the chief person in a group or undertaking

2

: any of several bowling pins: such as

a

: headpin

b

: the pin that stands in the middle of a triangular arrangement of bowling pins

3

a

: kingbolt

b

: a pin connecting the two parts of a knuckle joint (as in an automobile steering linkage)

Synonyms

• heavyweight
• heavy
• big
• magnate
• tycoon

Examples of kingpin in a Sentence

kingpins of the movie industry

a police sting that nabbed several kingpins of the city's drug trade

Recent Examples on the Web

This week, Drake stokes the anticipation for his next album with a new track featuring Cash Cobain, psych-pop kingpin Tame Impala floats back into our world, and Lady Gaga dances with the dead. —Rolling Stone, 5 Sep. 2025

In that matchup, recently crowned UFC welterweight champ Jack Della Maddalena looks to stave off the charge of ex-UFC lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev. —Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025

Some supporting players, like Mbedu and Elvis Nolasco (playing drug kingpin Freddy), get almost nothing to do beyond a single splashy monologue about their past traumas. —Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025

The docuseries from Mark Wahlberg‘s Unrealistic Ideas follows the rise and fall of Redondo Beach native Owen Hanson, who went from being a walk-on for the 2004 national championship-winning USC football team to global cocaine kingpin. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for kingpin

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• linchpin
• pigskin
• pinyin
• puffin

Kids Definition

kingpin

noun

king·​pin ˈkiŋ-ˌpin 

1

: a pin that stands in the middle of a triangular arrangement of bowling pins

also : headpin

2

: the chief person in a group or undertaking