as in bigs
one of high position or importance within a group
for a high-profile case like this, the law firm uses only its big guns
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Recent Examples of big guns
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
Sunday’s iteration – David Pastrnak-Pavel Zacha-Casey Mittelstadt – finished minus-2 and were outplayed by the Sens’ big guns.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
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
Still, Jarry kept the game even until some big guns finally went to work for the Penguins.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
For October camp and friendlies, Pochettino called in more big guns — a squad that looks a lot closer to what the World Cup roster will look like than in the September camp.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
Some big guns were still here, but the results often underdelivered.
—Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
The battleship used to rule the seas thanks to big guns and thick armor, was displaced by the aircraft carrier.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
Sunday’s iteration – David Pastrnak-Pavel Zacha-Casey Mittelstadt – finished minus-2 and were outplayed by the Sens’ big guns.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
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
Still, Jarry kept the game even until some big guns finally went to work for the Penguins.
—Josh Yohe, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
For October camp and friendlies, Pochettino called in more big guns — a squad that looks a lot closer to what the World Cup roster will look like than in the September camp.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
Some big guns were still here, but the results often underdelivered.
—Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
The battleship used to rule the seas thanks to big guns and thick armor, was displaced by the aircraft carrier.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big guns
Noun
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Minott healthy, two bigs sit An illness hit the Celtics’ locker room during the lead-up to Monday’s game.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
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Gonzaga is currently playing without starting bigs Graham Ike (ankle injury) and Braden Huff (knee injury).—
CJ Moore,
New York Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Winter Games will also welcome various VIPs—both athletes, such as current figure skating world champion Ilia Malinin, and Hollywood heavyweights, including Tom Cruise, who is expected to attend the opening ceremony to promote the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
6 Feb. 2026
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Ceremonial looks channel national heritage through the lens of major designers and iconic brands—Ralph Lauren, Emporio Armani, and Moncler—while performance gear from heavyweights like Adidas and Lululemon has been engineered for the challenges of ice, altitude, and speed.—
Christina Pérez,
Vogue,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Clean lines, an intriguing silhouette, and bold wheels give it real presence (right down to taillights that nod to the Nissan Z).—
Cyril Soliman,
The Drive,
5 Feb. 2026
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Yet after gesturing toward a promising thriller setup, the film soon begins to spin its wheels — doing little to complicate or tighten the melodrama, while only superficially probing its two principal characters as their romance is inevitably reignited.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Paramount executive also became president of the American Motion Picture Association (precursor to the MPA) in 1925, beating out the likes of Marcus Loew, Lasky, William Fox, Hays, Sam Rothafel, Sam Katz, Carl Laemmle, Joseph Schenck, and other Hollywood heavies.—
Chris Yogerst,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Jan. 2026
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Kier’s American career centered around playing heavies.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Now, with a Super Bowl trophy in sight, the offense is more than just taking big shots.—
Derrik Klassen,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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Latson scored 12 points and Raven Johnson came up with some big shots down the stretch, scoring six of her 10 points in the pivotal fourth quarter for the Gamecocks (18-1, 5-0 SEC).—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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Only little boys are called big boys.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Jan. 2026
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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
Noun
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There are some heavy hitters arriving right now, namely Bridgerton season 5, which will soon rocket to #1.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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A number of New York galleries have closed in the past year, including heavy hitters like Sperone Westwater, Venus Over Manhattan, and Clearing, as well as nonprofits like Canal Projects.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Big guns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20guns. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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