as in fortune
a very large amount of money
that enormous diamond ring must have cost a king's ransom
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 king's ransom
Unless the Yankees receive a king's ransom for him, Cashman should absolutely not be considering trading him.
—
Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
The king's ransom paid Apple for Google search priority has been called into question due to the government's antitrust case against Alphabet .
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025
Williams is such a talented prospect that experts are saying the Bears should not trade the first overall pick for a king's ransom.
—Jon Hoefling, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024
What king's ransom would the price of entry be if the trumpeters all make a ‘living wage’ for a temporary job best filled by college students?
—Luther Ray Abel, National Review, 17 Feb. 2023
Drew Vonscio, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
The king's ransom paid Apple for Google search priority has been called into question due to the government's antitrust case against Alphabet .
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025
Williams is such a talented prospect that experts are saying the Bears should not trade the first overall pick for a king's ransom.
—Jon Hoefling, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024
What king's ransom would the price of entry be if the trumpeters all make a ‘living wage’ for a temporary job best filled by college students?
—Luther Ray Abel, National Review, 17 Feb. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for king's ransom
Noun
-
Corden is joined by Bobby Cannavale and Neil Patrick Harris for the first-ever Broadway revival of Yasmina Reza’s play, which follows three longtime friends whose relationship is pushed to the brink when one of them spends a fortune on a stark, all-white painting.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Just two years after his brother's death, Doug Ford's political fortunes blossomed.—
NPR,
NPR,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Brush mixture over green bean bundles; sprinkle with salt.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Four North Carolina application bundles awaiting approval by Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem don’t have that complication, Graney said.—
Amber Gaudet
Updated October 31,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Garlic lovers are excited, and skeptics are already reaching for their mints.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
-
There’s not a mint in their mouth.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
These tools use techniques from computer vision, advanced machine learning, and big data analytics to turn what once seemed like an impossible pile of information into a roadmap for action.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Many of the town’s colorful homes, historical buildings and lush greenery have been reduced to piles of rubble that litter the now-muddy ground.—
Devon Sayers,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Samaritan’s Purse has pledged 42 ambulances, 28 of them armored, to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, and is supporting 11 major construction projects, including ambulance response stations and community centers equipped with bomb shelters.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The Russians had already been converting Soviet-era bombs into glide munitions with a range of some 80 kilometers (50 miles), allowing aircraft to fire them while staying well clear of Ukrainian air defenses.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“King's ransom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/king%27s%20ransom. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share