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
The Royals were looking for a seat at the table with the big boys.
—
Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
The club’s raw materials might not match up well with the big boys, but their connective tissue is incredibly strong.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
As a smaller company, Moolah faces the constant threat of being overwhelmed by the big boys in the business, and has less flexibility to absorb the impact of new tariffs.
—David Waldstein, Twin Cities, 25 July 2025
Yes, the big boys are my final group of breakout candidates.
—Jake Ciely, New York Times, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big boys
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Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
The club’s raw materials might not match up well with the big boys, but their connective tissue is incredibly strong.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
As a smaller company, Moolah faces the constant threat of being overwhelmed by the big boys in the business, and has less flexibility to absorb the impact of new tariffs.
—David Waldstein, Twin Cities, 25 July 2025
Yes, the big boys are my final group of breakout candidates.
—Jake Ciely, New York Times, 9 July 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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