big government

noun

variants or Big Government
chiefly US
: government that is regarded as infringing upon the rights of individual citizens because of its extensive bureaucracy and intrusive regulations and policies
Big government, in the minds of many Americans, had become the problem, not the solution.Tom Morganthau
Especially coming from a Republican, the Hyde proposals smack uncharacteristically of Big Government, critics say.John Cloud

Examples of big government in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Gold often does well at times of international tension, inflation, or big government deficits. John Dorfman, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 That’s the kind of conservative governance New York needs — not big government, but smart government. Y. David Scharf, New York Daily News, 17 Aug. 2025 Far from being a Trojan horse for big government, clean energy exemplifies free enterprise at its best. Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025 Don’t be fooled by his cutting of the federal workforce; Trump has taken big government to a new level of intrusion. Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for big government

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big government was in 1925

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Cite this Entry

“Big government.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20government. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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