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
Can Ukraine keep its big guns firing as Trump aligns the United States with Russia and halts further U.S. aid to Ukraine?
—
David Axe, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Nintendo's top talent has presumably worked on Switch 2 software for years, so now is the time for big guns like Donkey Kong, Mario, and Zelda.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
The Blueshirts’ big guns of Panarin and Fox worked to engineer Zibanejad’s one-timer from the left circle, 2:13 after Carlsson’s goal.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2025
New York’s big guns were silent, especially on the power play, which has been moribund for a month.
—Arthur Staple, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for big gun
David Axe, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Nintendo's top talent has presumably worked on Switch 2 software for years, so now is the time for big guns like Donkey Kong, Mario, and Zelda.
—Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2025
The Blueshirts’ big guns of Panarin and Fox worked to engineer Zibanejad’s one-timer from the left circle, 2:13 after Carlsson’s goal.
—Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2025
New York’s big guns were silent, especially on the power play, which has been moribund for a month.
—Arthur Staple, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for big gun
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big gun
Noun
-
Others are the heaviest of the heavy: a college student rendered brain-dead by a fentanyl overdose, a little girl who fatally drowns while saving her sister who fell into their swimming pool.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2025
-
Class struggle is reflected in the way that the back-alley heavy, Atticus Hawk, dismisses the ivory-tower eccentricity of the occult specialist Scholar Vitali.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
Perimeter defense was a clear struggle for L.A., forcing late challenges by bigs leading to 25 free throws.—
Micheel Alharazy,
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2025
-
The top remaining free agent bigs include Al Horford, Deandre Ayton, and Moe Wagner.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
There was a man riding a toddler’s big wheel with a 40-ounce malt liquor bottle in one hand, and a woman wearing just a torn T-shirt was cursing up a storm.—
Barnini Chakraborty,
The Washington Examiner,
26 May 2025
-
Off-road vehicles need to be boxy, tall and large with big wheels and specialized tires -- these are terrible for range.—
Morgan Korn,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
This whole situation in the industry is like a big boy's club...—
Mekishana Pierre Published,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
The absence of two global heavy hitters leaves ample limelight for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will visit Brazil both for the summit and a state visit.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
5 July 2025
-
Changes for the eight-year-old label imprint created under the Sony umbrella by industry heavy hitters Jason Owen and Shane McAnally, include the departure of General Manager Katie McCartney.—
Melonee Hurt,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
But a big cheese board affords the chance for people to try something new.—
Betty Hallock,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Dec. 2024
-
But a big cheese board affords the chance for people to try something new.—
Betty Hallock,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Arena said Bass, who sent the lion’s share of those emails, never represented himself as the city’s lobbyist in front of him.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
30 June 2025
-
With a plethora of game—including lions, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos, giraffes and zebras—the country delivers a blend of adventure and jaw-dropping beauty.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Big gun.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20gun. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share