the big boys
plural noun
informal
: the most powerful people or companies
He'll have to work pretty hard if he wants to compete with the big boys in the industry.
Examples of the big boys in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Until the Giants can beat out the big boys for a marquee free agent — purely with a checkbook and a pitch — the reputation will stick.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 9 Dec. 2025
The table is closer than ever; promoted teams jumping from their seats and bloodying the big boys.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
So, for Season 4, Shepherd comes out and does a four- to six-minute comedic monologue — the way the big boys do in late night.
—Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
The Pac-12 was once part of the Power Five but nearly disintegrated and looks more like a Group of Five league as currently constructed, soon to be filled with schools that are still not as big as the big boys.
—Eddie Pells, Twin Cities, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big boys
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Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 9 Dec. 2025
The table is closer than ever; promoted teams jumping from their seats and bloodying the big boys.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
So, for Season 4, Shepherd comes out and does a four- to six-minute comedic monologue — the way the big boys do in late night.
—Rosemary Rossi, Variety, 3 Nov. 2025
The Pac-12 was once part of the Power Five but nearly disintegrated and looks more like a Group of Five league as currently constructed, soon to be filled with schools that are still not as big as the big boys.
—Eddie Pells, Twin Cities, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big boys
Cite this Entry
“The big boys.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20big%20boys. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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