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
With the English top flight due to start on August 16, any tour plans involving the big boys will be geared towards the end of July rather than the middle of the month.
—
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 May 2025
The Retailers Industry Leaders Association reported on Hurricane Helene relief efforts from the big boys, like The Home Depot, Publix, Target, and others—lots of water, disaster relief kits, meals, essential supplies, and debris removal and rebuilding.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Rather than draft a bunch of skill players who fit the McDaniel offense, invest on the big boys who make said offense thrive.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
That doesn't mean that Clemons has never played with the big boys.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big boys
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.
Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 May 2025
The Retailers Industry Leaders Association reported on Hurricane Helene relief efforts from the big boys, like The Home Depot, Publix, Target, and others—lots of water, disaster relief kits, meals, essential supplies, and debris removal and rebuilding.
—Renae Gregoire, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
Rather than draft a bunch of skill players who fit the McDaniel offense, invest on the big boys who make said offense thrive.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
That doesn't mean that Clemons has never played with the big boys.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 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 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share