big shots

noun

plural of big shot
as in bigs
one of high position or importance within a group a meeting at which all of the big shots in the company were present

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 shots The synergy between the two players stood out as Edmonds connected with Robinson for a number of big shots. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026 The symphony orchestra takes its name from the Greek symphonía, meaning sounding in agreement, and orkhēstra which implies a public stage for dance or, in ancient Rome, where senators and other big shots sat. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 That’s why in this episode, Olivia goes looking for the kind of investor who is angry enough to stick it to the big shots. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026 The big deals have been made, the big shots have come and gone. — David Szondy july 23, New Atlas, 23 July 2026 Yet the mental horizons of Maucci and his associates were wider and more mobile than those of the big shots, small-time lawyers, and clerics who’d remained to vegetate in their old Lunigiana. — Literary Hub, 22 July 2026 After struggling to find any type of offense through the first three quarters, the Valkyries hit enough big shots in the fourth quarter to pull out its ninth consecutive win with a 74-69 victory over the Washington Mystics at home on Saturday night. — Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 19 July 2026 Adam Flagler and Marquel Sutton hit big shots in the last two minutes as the Kings held on for a 92-90 victory over the Hornets at Cox Pavilion. — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026 Nobody shot more than Larry Bird, who made a lot of big shots in his day, too. — John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big shots
  1. bigs
  2. heavyweights
  3. big guns
  4. wheels
  5. heavy hitters
  6. heavies
  7. big boys
  8. big wheels
Noun
  • The bigs come out a lot to pressure the ball in ball screen coverage.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Nov. 2026
  • When Ott was in Cleveland, the system often had just one shooting outlet on most plays, relying on the guards’ floater games and the bigs’ vertical spacing over the top.
    — Jared Weiss, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bigs
Noun
  • The other five finance heavyweights in the group — BlackRock, Brookfield, Blackstone, KKR, and Apollo — either didn’t provide a comment when asked about Nvidia’s troubles, or pointed to Solomon’s remarks.
    — Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Di Girolamo stars alongside Hollywood heavyweights John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi and Parker Posey, and is directed by Oscar winner Martin McDonagh.
    — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of heavyweights
Noun
  • However, with each Champions League victory crucial to progressing toward the next round, neither would want to rest their big guns, either.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026
  • After England have raised a glass comes a three-match one-day international series this week when India will welcome back big guns including captain Shubman Gill and legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
    — Paul Newman, New York Times, 12 July 2026
Definition of big guns
Noun
  • From January through the end of August this year — the most recent month for which Federal Aviation Administration data is available — planes landing at O’Hare averaged 20 minutes to taxi to their gates once their wheels hit the ground.
    — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
  • So while the tank was resting on the road wheels that help keep the tracks in tension, trying to tow it would likely just cause the massive vehicle to dig in.
    — Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of wheels
Noun
  • There’s also the heavy hitters cookies & cream, 2 run chocolate crunch and the victory chocolate chip — a more classic version of the cookie compared to the sluggers sourdough.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 7 Nov. 2026
  • As a result, the Republicans lacked top tier, heavy hitters who could bring out the vote not only for themselves but also for Fazio, officials said.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of heavy hitters
Noun
  • This year, recommenders include cultural heavies like Susan Orlean, Tony Tulathimutte, Jia Tolentino, Vincenzo Latronico, Sarah Thankam Matthews, and Tavi Gevinson.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The album also features cameos by heavies from Gojira, Lamb of God, Queens of the Stone Age, and Clutch.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of heavies
Noun
  • These are the 30-homer big boys, the men who hit in the top four spots of most teams’ lineups.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But taking on one of Wall Street’s big boys, and then getting squashed for it, ranks right up there.
    — Liz Peek, Washington Post, 4 May 2026
Definition of big boys
Noun
  • The car's quirky appearance is enhanced by a sporty body kit and big wheels that are pushed to the farthest edges.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Definition of big wheels

Browse Nearby Words

big shot
big shots
big-ticket
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Cite this Entry

“Big shots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20shots. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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