bigwig

noun

ˈbig-ˌwig How to pronounce bigwig (audio)
Definition of bigwignext
as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group interviewed by several bigwigs on the hospital's staff

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 bigwig Ever since 1948, when the resident artist Victor Vasarely put Gordes on the map, the town has welcomed political bigwigs, French presidents, artists, and musicians. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026 The joke around the proverbial water cooler goes that this is apparently the week all the bigwigs in lit world got together and decided to embrace their own destruction. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 Davis also grew up with another Outfit bigwig, Peter DiFronzo, and was known to go golfing and deep sea fishing with him, according to testimony from Davis’ 2015 trial. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026 Suspicions of possible ties to drug traffickers have long hung over Rocha Mayo, who was born in Badiraguato, the same mountainous municipality in Sinaloa that is the hometown of El Chapo and other cartel bigwigs. — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bigwig
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bigwig
  1. heavyweight
  2. big
  3. heavy
  4. magnate
  5. tycoon
Noun
  • Last month, technology heavyweights such as Microsoft, Palantir and Nvidia signed a letter urging policymakers to avoid restricting open-weight models and suppressing competition.
    — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The upbeat results lifted global tech stocks, including major gains for Asian heavyweights.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of heavyweight
Noun
  • That gives Okot more opportunities to develop alongside the second unit with Naz Hillmon while learning to play alongside both veteran bigs.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 28 July 2026
  • Jones, youngsters shine Score one for the bigs — after a decade-long drought of All-Star MVPs, frontcourt players have won back-to-back.
    — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of big
Noun
  • Soon after Rhaenyra executes Otto Hightower, who was once mastermind of that family’s schemes, Ormund steps up to be the faction’s new heavy.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
  • Shares of Meta are flat on the year, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 is up 18%.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 10 July 2026
Definition of heavy
Noun
  • One of his earliest and most public successes was the restoration of John Jacob Astor IV, the ultra-wealthy Manhattan business magnate who drowned with the Titanic.
    — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
  • But the great-grandson became wealthy in his own right as a magnate and pioneer in the New York hotel industry.
    — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of magnate
Noun
  • Bhatia, the son-in-law of Indian billionaire and steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, was director and co-owner at Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers for 18 years before stepping down from their board last week.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 30 July 2026
  • The expansion into distribution in Benelux comes at a busy time for Pathé in the wake of its 2025 deal with French-Lebanese logistics tycoon Rodolphe Saadé, which saw his whose family holding company Merit France took a 20% stake in the studio.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 July 2026
Definition of tycoon

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big wheels
bigwig
bigwigs
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Cite this Entry

“Bigwig.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bigwig. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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