major league

noun

1

: a league of highest classification in U.S. professional baseball

broadly : a league of major importance in any of various sports

2

: big time sense 2

major-league

ˈmā-jər-ˈlēg 

adjective

major leaguer noun

Synonyms of major league

• big(s)
• big time

Examples of major league in a Sentence

when you've landed a tenure-track position at that university, you're playing in the major leagues

Recent Examples on the Web

Detroit opened a 5-1 lead in the second on John Peck's RBI single and Kevin McGonigle's two-run triple off the wall in right-center, a 397-foot drive that would have been a home run in 24 of the 30 major league ballparks. — ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026

Sports comes to a standstill after terrorism in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, with major league baseball postponing a full schedule of regular-season games for the first time since D-Day in 1944. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper answered questions from Charlotte-area media Wednesday before practice, opining on Bryce Young, the team’s overall progress and Charlotte’s likelihood of getting a major league baseball team. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026

Both homered at Fenway Park to help Sheldon get his first major league win, on May 31. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for major league

• chincoteague
• blitzkrieg
• fatigue
• intrigue
• muskeg

Kids Definition

major league

noun

: a league in the highest class of U.S. professional sports