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
Arsenal travel to Bilbao to play Athletic in one of Tuesday’s early kick-offs, while Tottenham Hotspur, back at the big boys’ table thanks to their Europa League triumph over Manchester United, host Villarreal in another Premier League v La Liga clash.
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Matt Slater, New York Times, 15 Sep. 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
Prediction: 3-9 Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Ed Lamb is doing it the old-fashioned way, admirably mining for Colorado kids that the big boys no longer chase.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2025
The Royals were looking for a seat at the table with the big boys.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big boys
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Matt Slater, New York Times, 15 Sep. 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
Prediction: 3-9 Sean Keeler, sports columnist: Ed Lamb is doing it the old-fashioned way, admirably mining for Colorado kids that the big boys no longer chase.
—Matt Schubert, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2025
The Royals were looking for a seat at the table with the big boys.
—Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 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 4 Nov. 2025.
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