as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
thinks he's a big cheese just because he's got a business card
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Recent Examples of big cheese
But a big cheese board affords the chance for people to try something new.
—
Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Simply Cheetos White Cheddar Puffs These light-colored curls have big cheese flavor, a satisfying crunch and a tart kick that is dangerously delicious.
—Jolene Thym, The Mercury News, 4 June 2024
So for decades only accredited scholars, the occasional journalist and big cheeses got to see inside.
—Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2023
Following a voting process, this international cut of designers aged under 40 will be whittled down to a final few before the winners are selected by a panel of the conglomerate’s key designers and c-suite big cheeses some time in the summer.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2023
All is fair in love and big cheese.
—Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 2 Feb. 2023
Bob Iger is back as the House of Mouse’s big cheese.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2022
Una Pizza Napoletana is truly the big cheese: Anthony Mangieri’s Lower East Side pizza joint was just named the best pizzeria in the United States by the 50 Top Pizza organization.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 June 2022
Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
Simply Cheetos White Cheddar Puffs These light-colored curls have big cheese flavor, a satisfying crunch and a tart kick that is dangerously delicious.
—Jolene Thym, The Mercury News, 4 June 2024
So for decades only accredited scholars, the occasional journalist and big cheeses got to see inside.
—Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2023
Following a voting process, this international cut of designers aged under 40 will be whittled down to a final few before the winners are selected by a panel of the conglomerate’s key designers and c-suite big cheeses some time in the summer.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2023
All is fair in love and big cheese.
—Ali Francis, Bon Appétit, 2 Feb. 2023
Bob Iger is back as the House of Mouse’s big cheese.
—Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 21 Nov. 2022
Una Pizza Napoletana is truly the big cheese: Anthony Mangieri’s Lower East Side pizza joint was just named the best pizzeria in the United States by the 50 Top Pizza organization.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 16 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big cheese
Noun
-
Which heavyweights are looking good?—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
Now, on the back of investor enthusiasm for high-growth plays, AI heavyweights Anthropic and OpenAI have also confidentially filed to go public.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Kier’s American career centered around playing heavies.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
24 Nov. 2025
-
Rainfall this heavy is usually confined to the summer months, but ongoing unseasonable heat in the South is raising the bar on how much moisture these storms could wring out of the atmosphere.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
20 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In discussing Wembanyama, Chuck’s reference point to the overall impact of the 7-foot-4 phenom is another unique big who turned a team into a contender quickly with a game unlike many had seen.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
-
The Spurs have survived the games in which Castle has been loose with the ball, but that feels like a recipe for failure on this big of a stage.—
Tom Rende,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
There also aren't too many catchers who can put up above-average offensive stats these days, so adding Jeffers into the deal means the Yankees should be prepared to part ways with at least one of their big guns in the pitching pipeline, namely Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodríguez.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
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Other high-end names in the mix include big guns like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Gucci.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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That big boy came straight up out of the water until his tail was a foot above its surface, then smacked back.—
Arthur Grahame,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2025
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This whole situation in the industry is like a big boy's club...—
Mekishana Pierre Published,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
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
-
The Lyriq’s long nose and roof create a sporty profile that’s emphasized by big wheel openings with subtle fender flares and a steeply raked rear window.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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His 12-game cameo was perhaps most memorable for a disastrous inning on the mound — Nola's only turn at pitching as a big leaguer.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Nov. 2025
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The first batter Clayton Kershaw faced as a big leaguer was his eventual teammate, Skip Schumaker.—
Dan Freedman,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
Noun
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Those supporters were left unchallenged by stewards, despite FIFA winning a court hearing enabling them to lawfully prohibit people showing the lion-and-sun flags on the grounds of them carrying a political message and potentially causing disturbances.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Some fans held out flags of the current Islamic Republic, while others displayed lion flags from the pre-revolutionary period.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Big cheese.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20cheese. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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