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
In his first tournament since earning his Tour card, Fitzpatrick finished T9 at the Cadillac Championship, putting to bed any concerns about his viability playing with the big boys.
—
Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026
Maybe Game 7 is the stage the big boys need.
—John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
All of their players that are good enough to play at Power 4 schools will just end up being poached by the big boys.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Cypress, El Dorado, JSerra, Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, Aquinas, La Mirada, Arcadia, Norco, Gahr and Huntington Beach have no fear of taking on the big boys this season.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the big boys
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Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 9 May 2026
Maybe Game 7 is the stage the big boys need.
—John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
All of their players that are good enough to play at Power 4 schools will just end up being poached by the big boys.
—Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Cypress, El Dorado, JSerra, Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, Aquinas, La Mirada, Arcadia, Norco, Gahr and Huntington Beach have no fear of taking on the big boys this season.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
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 13 May. 2026.
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