as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
for a high-profile case like this, the law firm uses only its big guns
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 gun
Anthopoulos wants a big gun Obviously, the Braves are shopping to augment their starting rotation.
—
Aj Willingham,
AJC.com,
18 Feb. 2026
The comedy big guns come out to pay their respects to the groundbreaking genius whose comedy is still radical — Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Dave Chappelle, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman are just a few.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
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
Some big guns were still here, but the results often underdelivered.
—
Alan Light,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for big gun
Aj Willingham,
AJC.com,
18 Feb. 2026
The comedy big guns come out to pay their respects to the groundbreaking genius whose comedy is still radical — Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler, Dave Chappelle, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman are just a few.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
8 Jan. 2026
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
Some big guns were still here, but the results often underdelivered.
—
Alan Light,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for big gun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big gun
Noun
-
The lineup of country music heavyweights due to receive special awards from the Academy of Country Music this summer has been set, with Kacey Musgraves, Ella Langley and Eric Church among the stars being feted at the 19th annual ACM Honors program.
-
Shares of South Korean chip heavyweight Samsung Electronics rose more than 4% after jumping as much as 10% earlier in the session.
Noun
-
Geoffrey Lechantoux is responsible for the French-seafood-heavy menu.
-
Most standard blends are nitrogen-heavy, which encourages leaf growth instead of fruit.
Noun
-
Like Stewart, Ejiofor has the kind of strength to deal with being an undersized big.
-
So Bauer heads back to Mexico City, continuing a journey that has taken him everywhere except the bigs.
Noun
-
For all of its strengths, my one wish for the Weber Kettle is better wheel nuts holding the big wheels in place.
-
Denali versions aim for gloss, chrome, big wheels and illuminated badging, while the AT4 gets the tougher costume - 35-inch allou-terrain tires, red recovery hooks, extra ground clearance and a more trail-minded stance flavor.
Noun
-
Thibodeau is a big boy, and Dolan is still paying him a lot of money from that $30 million extension signed in the summer of 2024.
-
But taking on one of Wall Street’s big boys, and then getting squashed for it, ranks right up there.
Noun
-
That was a gift from former Indy ball teammate and ex-big leaguer Matt Adams.
-
Around him was not a single big leaguer, minor leaguer, or anyone with a heater topping 90 miles per hour.
Noun
-
Crow-Armstrong completed the first cycle by a major leaguer this season with a seventh-inning single Monday night, then was promptly picked off first base by Colorado Rockies reliever Brennan Bernardino in a one-run game.
-
The co-founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and the ex-major leaguer have already been found liable in the deaths of two young boys.
Noun
-
The heavy hitters in space telescopes are about to be joined by a new contender.
-
Smith also collaborated with other heavy hitters of the folk-pop genre in building out the 15-track project.
Cite this Entry
“Big gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20gun. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
