1
as in heavyweights
one of high position or importance within a group
a police sting that nabbed several kingpins of the city's drug trade
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leaders
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do
finally nailed the mob kingpin who had been controlling all the gambling rackets in the city
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Recent Examples of kingpins
Just when the officers come up with a plan to arrest Carter and Hakan for their respective drug empires, the kingpins start to become suspicious of their team members and become convinced that they've been infiltrated.
—
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Cambodia passed unprecedented legislation Monday imposing life imprisonment for scam kingpins as the nation vows to eliminate cyber fraud operations by month’s end.
—Sopheng Cheang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The legislation also ignores the reality that as the kingpins in the SEC and Big Ten have gotten really rich, the other leagues have seen healthy returns and profits as well at roughly the same pace.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel - an old associate of El Mencho - and Arturo Beltrán Leyva.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel — an old associate of El Mencho — and Arturo Beltrán Leyva.
—CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel — an old associate of El Mencho — and Arturo Beltrán Leyva.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Oseguera was one of the most wanted cartel kingpins in Mexico and the United States.
—Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Prior to becoming one of the largest cartel kingpins in Mexico, El Mencho had started his drug business career on the streets of San Francisco throughout the mid-1980s to early 1990s, according to reporting from the Louisville Courier Journal.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Cambodia passed unprecedented legislation Monday imposing life imprisonment for scam kingpins as the nation vows to eliminate cyber fraud operations by month’s end.
—Sopheng Cheang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The legislation also ignores the reality that as the kingpins in the SEC and Big Ten have gotten really rich, the other leagues have seen healthy returns and profits as well at roughly the same pace.
—Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 5 Mar. 2026
In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel - an old associate of El Mencho - and Arturo Beltrán Leyva.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel — an old associate of El Mencho — and Arturo Beltrán Leyva.
—CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
In Culiacan, in neighboring Sinaloa state, home to a cartel of the same name, there is a cemetery known for its luxury crypts and mausoleums for one-time kingpins like Ignacio Coronel — an old associate of El Mencho — and Arturo Beltrán Leyva.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
Oseguera was one of the most wanted cartel kingpins in Mexico and the United States.
—Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
Prior to becoming one of the largest cartel kingpins in Mexico, El Mencho had started his drug business career on the streets of San Francisco throughout the mid-1980s to early 1990s, according to reporting from the Louisville Courier Journal.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kingpins
Noun
-
Among the Italian heavyweights, Zegna is absent, having decided to show its spring 2027 collection in Los Angeles on June 5, as reported.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
-
Brecher's photo of Markarian's Chain showcases the variety of cosmic heavyweights that populate the cosmos, while accounting for only a small section of the colossal Virgo Galaxy Cluster, which is thought to host approximately 2,000 galaxies.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Following community debate over safety versus access to alternative mobility options, city leaders in La Mesa voted to ban e-bike use for riders under 12.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 May 2026
-
The leaders discussed trade on Thursday, with Xi saying that China’s door of opportunity will open wider.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Toronto was shorthanded in the frontcourt without starting center Temi Fagbenle (right shoulder), and the Sparks trio of bigs had a field day with 54 points in the paint.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2026
-
The problem came later in the fourth quarter, when the Spurs’ low man defender had to step up to stop Edwards or Julius Randle and the Wolves’ other bigs were able to cut behind the defense to clean everything up on the glass.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
But this layered intelligence rarely travels beyond marketing teams into boardrooms where bosses have the final say.—
Alex Cooper,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
-
And according to my scorecard, which averaged grades across five economic yardsticks, Powell’s eight years at the helm earned the second-worst California-centric score compared with the previous four central bank bosses.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Noun
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However, on season 2 of Twin Peaks, the actress played Miss Jones, the right-hand woman for one of the series' heavies, Thomas Eckhardt (the late David Warner).—
Drew Mackie,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Specifically, Alioto sought to reimagine the magazine as a many-pronged vehicle for promising tastes—like those of regular contributors and critical heavies, Grace Byron and Greta Rainbow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Customers were very important; workers, foremen.—
Michael Kilian,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
For years after that, TCU alums who had served as Ranch Week foremen or queen would proudly include it on resumes, in professional biographies or when running for office.—
Matt Leclercq,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Its front wheels have an open-wheel design; they’re shrouded in aerodynamic pods but mounted out wide from the streamlined cabin, which looks much more aerospace than automotive.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
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Our 2026 Tiguan was loaded with standard features such as 20-inch alloy wheels, LED automatic headlights, heated and cooled seats, heated R-line steering wheel, and a simplified 15-inch infotainment system.—
Marc D. Grasso,
Boston Herald,
14 May 2026
Noun
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While some of Na's fellow Korean genre masters, like Bong Joon Ho, have found global renown, for many cinephiles, Na is overdue for the kind of global introduction a Cannes premiere provides.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
-
Then, nearly three decades later, Shipp dug up his masters from the shed after a writer inquired about them.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kingpins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kingpins. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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