as in bigs
one of high position or importance within a group
when she became the network's White House correspondent, she knew that she was now playing with the big boys
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of big boys
Then the Bruins big boys decided to make a statement after that.
—
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Will the Niners spend like big boys and sign Hendrickson, Linderbaum and JFM?
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
Only little boys are called big boys.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Jan. 2026
There are big boys throwing their weight around, and there are wild skinnies with flying arms and spinning back-kicks, chopping out their emergency version of personal space.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025
One of the biggest reasons the Padres’ slugging numbers are down is that those big boys have not produced the power that was expected out of them.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Will the Niners spend like big boys and sign Hendrickson, Linderbaum and JFM?
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
Only little boys are called big boys.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Jan. 2026
There are big boys throwing their weight around, and there are wild skinnies with flying arms and spinning back-kicks, chopping out their emergency version of personal space.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025
One of the biggest reasons the Padres’ slugging numbers are down is that those big boys have not produced the power that was expected out of them.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big boys
Noun
-
Purdue is more perimeter-oriented, and what the Boilers get from their bigs is largely a bonus.—
Christian Babcock,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
So our bigs were going to have to hit bodies, but our guards were going to have to come clean it up.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Celebrating Fruits, Veggies, Dairy, and Some Sodium At the top of the pyramid, with the protein heavyweights, are vegetables and fruits.—
Outside,
Outside,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Hospitality heavyweights like Orient Express, The Ritz-Carlton, Aman and Four Seasons are taking their brand of high-end service to the high seas, betting that affluent travelers would rather board a boutique yacht than a floating megacity.—
Elycia Rubin,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Each hard-sided bag has 360-degree spinner wheels, a 3-in-1 cupholder, a USB port and a phone holder for ultimate convenience.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The wheels kick up a cloud of dust from the parchment-dry terrain.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Bruins coach Marco Sturm made some pretty sizable line changes to start the game, plugging in rookie center Minten between David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie to try and coax more production out of his big guns.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The team needs that supporting cast clicking at the same time as big guns to create more sustained pressure.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Specifically, Alioto sought to reimagine the magazine as a many-pronged vehicle for promising tastes—like those of regular contributors and critical heavies, Grace Byron and Greta Rainbow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Absinthe-eyed, she projectile-vomits blunt observations and also oysters onto the heavies, overimbibing her way into her own grave once she’s inevitably discarded with a shot and shove down a stairwell (a barely-there John Magaro plays one of the gangsters).—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Protein Positive At the top of the inverted pyramid sit the heavy hitters of the protein world—foods like steak, chicken, and salmon.—
Outside,
Outside,
24 Mar. 2026
-
That news conference will feature some NASA heavy hitters.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Doncic had 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but was three for 13 from three and missed two big shots in the final seconds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Played so well defensively, changed the game for us with his ball pressure and knocked down big shots.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The cars that Geely showcased at CES, in Las Vegas, were large SUVs with big wheels, opulent interiors, and three rows of seats—not unlike a Ford Explorer.—
Patrick George,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Still, expect short overhangs and big wheels, even if not quite the size of these absurdly chrome 24-inchers.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Big boys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20boys. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
