the big leagues
plural noun
US
: the two highest U.S. baseball leagues (the American League and the National League)
He always dreamed of playing in the big leagues.
—often used figurativelyShe's moving up to the big leagues in the television industry.
She's in the big leagues now, working for a major law firm in a large city.
Examples of the big leagues in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For more than a century, baseball's Rule 5 draft has given minor league players a fast track to the big leagues.
—
Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025
But his body soon adapted and, eventually, the new plan got him to the big leagues, following in the path of Travis Adams, who reached the majors about a month earlier.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 13 Aug. 2025
The lefty last pitched in the big leagues in 2023 and has missed most of the last two years recovering from Tommy John surgery.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Greene went on the injured list with a right groin strain after his start June 3 and hadn’t pitched in the big leagues since then.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big leagues
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Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025
But his body soon adapted and, eventually, the new plan got him to the big leagues, following in the path of Travis Adams, who reached the majors about a month earlier.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 13 Aug. 2025
The lefty last pitched in the big leagues in 2023 and has missed most of the last two years recovering from Tommy John surgery.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 12 Aug. 2025
Greene went on the injured list with a right groin strain after his start June 3 and hadn’t pitched in the big leagues since then.
—C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big leagues
Cite this Entry
“The big leagues.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20big%20leagues. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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