big man on campus
noun phrase
US, somewhat old-fashioned
: an important and well-known person especially at a school
The quarterback of the football team is a real big man on campus.
Examples of big man on campus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After decades in memorable supporting roles (Bridge of Spies, Game Night, Into the Woods, No Time to Die, the 2025 live-action version of Lilo & Stitch), Billy Magnussen is the big man on campus in AMC's new Silicon Valley satire The Audacity.
—
Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Maxi Adams, Sierra Canyon’s 6-foot-8 senior, was the big man on campus until another All-American, Brandon McCoy, showed up this season, along with Brannon Martinsen, a former Trinity League player of the year.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The artsy eccentric–turned–popular girl Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook) attends the dance with the wrong guy (Paul Walker), having fallen out with Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr.), the big man on campus who gave her a prom queen-worthy makeover.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 17 May 2025
Joe Keery Keery plays high school big man on campus turned ice-cream-scooper Steve Harrington.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
MacKenzie Gore was the big man on campus, so to speak, while training this past offseason with McFerran — then the school’s director of player development and pitching lab coordinator.
—Andrew Golden, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
With their Oyabun in tatters before them, Hayama is already positioning himself as the new big man on campus.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2024
Mahogany, Mel Kiper’s No. 2 guard in the nation, was the big man on campus in more than just a literal sense.
—Trevor Hass, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Saturday’s matchup will be the first between the two programs since 1992, when Kerry Collins was the big man on campus at Penn State.
—cleveland, 2 Sep. 2023
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Patrick Gomez, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
Maxi Adams, Sierra Canyon’s 6-foot-8 senior, was the big man on campus until another All-American, Brandon McCoy, showed up this season, along with Brannon Martinsen, a former Trinity League player of the year.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2026
The artsy eccentric–turned–popular girl Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook) attends the dance with the wrong guy (Paul Walker), having fallen out with Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr.), the big man on campus who gave her a prom queen-worthy makeover.
—James Mercadante, EW.com, 17 May 2025
Joe Keery Keery plays high school big man on campus turned ice-cream-scooper Steve Harrington.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 17 Feb. 2025
MacKenzie Gore was the big man on campus, so to speak, while training this past offseason with McFerran — then the school’s director of player development and pitching lab coordinator.
—Andrew Golden, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
With their Oyabun in tatters before them, Hayama is already positioning himself as the new big man on campus.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2024
Mahogany, Mel Kiper’s No. 2 guard in the nation, was the big man on campus in more than just a literal sense.
—Trevor Hass, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Saturday’s matchup will be the first between the two programs since 1992, when Kerry Collins was the big man on campus at Penn State.
—cleveland, 2 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Big man on campus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20man%20on%20campus. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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