as in heavyweights
one of high position or importance within a group
interviewed by several bigwigs on the hospital's staff
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Recent Examples of bigwigs
Walmart’s bigwigs are no exception.
—
Preston Fore, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Everyone seemed a little confused about it and the Legion bigwigs didn’t help much.
—Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The business of sports is on full display in Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum’s annual shindig for bigwigs kicked off earlier this week.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Elsewhere on the black and gold carpet outside the Ray Dolby Ballroom on Sunday night, Hollywood bigwigs such as Sydney Sweeney, Kate Hudson and Zoey Deutch brought golden age glamour with sophisticated updos and curly bobs.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 17 Nov. 2025
So was the mayor, alongside other local bigwigs.
—Chase Jordan
updated November 13, Charlotte Observer, 13 Nov. 2025
Other Party bigwigs expressed disappointment, too, from the progressives Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to the milquetoast Democratic National Committee leader Ken Martin.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Sharon and Expectation met with then BBC content boss Charlotte Moore and other bigwigs at the British public broadcaster, and Home to Roost was set up as a ten-part BBC series that would follow the return home.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2025
Connect with people on every level, from team members to bigwigs.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
Preston Fore, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
Everyone seemed a little confused about it and the Legion bigwigs didn’t help much.
—Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2026
The business of sports is on full display in Davos, Switzerland, where the World Economic Forum’s annual shindig for bigwigs kicked off earlier this week.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Elsewhere on the black and gold carpet outside the Ray Dolby Ballroom on Sunday night, Hollywood bigwigs such as Sydney Sweeney, Kate Hudson and Zoey Deutch brought golden age glamour with sophisticated updos and curly bobs.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 17 Nov. 2025
So was the mayor, alongside other local bigwigs.
—Chase Jordan
updated November 13, Charlotte Observer, 13 Nov. 2025
Other Party bigwigs expressed disappointment, too, from the progressives Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to the milquetoast Democratic National Committee leader Ken Martin.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Sharon and Expectation met with then BBC content boss Charlotte Moore and other bigwigs at the British public broadcaster, and Home to Roost was set up as a ten-part BBC series that would follow the return home.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2025
Connect with people on every level, from team members to bigwigs.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bigwigs
Noun
-
Arsenal play Bayer Leverkusen and the Premier League leaders have avoided the tournament’s heavyweights after their perfect record of eight wins put them top of the standings in the league phase.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The Persians earns a place alongside these heavyweights.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
After rotating regularly between four bigs for much of the year, Gottlieb entrusted redshirt freshman Laura Williams with the lion’s share of opportunities at the five Thursday.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Guerschon Yabusele and Nick Richards are assigned the lofty task of being viable big-minute bigs, and the backcourt features more agendas and guards to play than seems feasible.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Kier’s American career centered around playing heavies.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But where does Ted Turner live now that other tycoons have bought up enough acreage to surpass his record?—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
6 Feb. 2026
-
During the Cannes Film Festival, tycoons and oligarchs feature on the guest list, rubbing shoulders with high-profile celebrities who relax with croquet games between press junkets.—
Mary Winston Nicklin,
AFAR Media,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In its sophomore season, Cross is in pursuit of a ruthless vigilante who is hunting down corrupt billionaire magnates.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
1 Feb. 2026
-
During the 2021 recall fight, Newsom also attracted high-profile billionaire support from Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, and agribusiness magnates Stewart and Lynda Resnick.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bigwigs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bigwigs. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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