as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
a big kahuna at a Hollywood talent agency, he's got the fancy car to prove it
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kahuna
The ISM Manufacturing Index kicks things off today with plenty of more data over the coming days, anchored by the big kahuna, Friday’s employment situation report for July.
—
Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022
But the big kahuna is still to come, as the company finally confirmed that the Supra is officially getting a manual transmission.
—Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 15 Apr. 2022
The big kahuna of their SoCal tour-within-a-tour this week is Wednesday night’s show at Crypto.com Arena, a venue that’s seven miles and about 43 years from the Masque, where the earliest incarnation of the group started out as a punk group.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Mar. 2022
And the big kahuna of them all, the Oscars, are just around the corner.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022
But the big kahuna is still to come, as the company finally confirmed that the Supra is officially getting a manual transmission.
—Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 15 Apr. 2022
The big kahuna of their SoCal tour-within-a-tour this week is Wednesday night’s show at Crypto.com Arena, a venue that’s seven miles and about 43 years from the Masque, where the earliest incarnation of the group started out as a punk group.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Mar. 2022
And the big kahuna of them all, the Oscars, are just around the corner.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2021
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kahuna
Noun
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Another possibility or two could develop on draft night depending on how teams value this group of young bigs.—
Dan Woike,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2025
-
For this reason, the Bulls should spend this week scouting bigs.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Harry heads back to the yard, where a group of Kevin's Czechoslovakian hired heavies are preparing for war.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
13 Apr. 2025
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On Twin Peaks, Strong plays Jones, the right-hand woman for one of the series’ heavies.—
Drew Mackie,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Visit the Binnenhof, one of Europe’s oldest parliamentary buildings and stroll past Noordeinde Palace, the working palace of the Dutch king.—
Joanne Shurvell,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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The heart king may not be pulling its full weight but might provide a discard.—
Deb Harvell,
Arkansas Online,
18 May 2025
Noun
-
While Jon is bound to leadership by a sense of duty, Daenerys sees herself as a liberator, a queen steeped in moral righteousness who freed slaves across the sea for the greater good.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2017
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THE TRENDSETTER Salt & Straw is the homecoming queen of ice cream in LA.—
Cole Kazdin,
Los Angeles Magazine,
14 July 2017
Noun
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Known for their flamboyant costumes and elaborate stage show that involved live lions and tigers, Siegfried & Roy became one of the most popular acts on the Las Vegas strip in the 1990s.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
12 May 2025
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Meanwhile, foundation models and synthetic content tools continued to absorb the lion’s share.—
Kolawole Samuel Adebayo,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Noun
-
Any frustration the Greek shipping magnate felt was understandable.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
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Descendants of Mary Lily Kenan – Henry Flagler’s third wife – continue the tradition begun in 1895, when the railroad magnate built the Palm Beach Inn on the site to complement his nearby Royal Poinciana Hotel.—
Thomas Swick,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kahuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kahuna. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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