as in big(s)
often big leagues plural
the highest level of a field of endeavor
Broadway is the big leagues, and for big bucks theatergoers expect professionalism
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Recent Examples of big league
New Format This season onwards, teams will no longer be divided into groups but rather face off in one big league phase.
—
Neel Shelat, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Nate Eaton, who scored the winning run from third after entering the game as a pinch runner in the 10th, has only played in 105, and neither player has ever sniffed a big league playoff race.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Only four other players in big league history have hit at least 40 homers in a season while primarily playing catcher: Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice).
—Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
With prices so high, media companies are narrowing their packages, leaving some big leagues like the NBA spread across more networks and streamers.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for big league
Neel Shelat, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Nate Eaton, who scored the winning run from third after entering the game as a pinch runner in the 10th, has only played in 105, and neither player has ever sniffed a big league playoff race.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 18 Sep. 2025
Only four other players in big league history have hit at least 40 homers in a season while primarily playing catcher: Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice).
—Andrew Destin, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
With prices so high, media companies are narrowing their packages, leaving some big leagues like the NBA spread across more networks and streamers.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for big league
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big league
major league
Noun
-
Less than two weeks later he was called up by the Giants and set to appear in his first major league game against the Texas Rangers.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
27 Sep. 2025
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The other major leagues all have similar exemptions, and none of them are close to the NFL’s scale, revenue, viewership or cultural impact.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Big league.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20league. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
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