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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 kingpins
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
The bubble popped in 2022 thanks to the unraveling of two crypto kingpins, Do Kwon and Sam Bankman-Fried, and the ensuing regulatory crackdown.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
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
The bubble popped in 2022 thanks to the unraveling of two crypto kingpins, Do Kwon and Sam Bankman-Fried, and the ensuing regulatory crackdown.
—Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kingpins
Noun
-
And though the Innere Stadt is where most tourists stay, Vienna isn’t rammed like Paris; there are plenty of Viennese out and about, especially at the neighborhood’s cultural heavyweights.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
-
His founding of a law firm (now known as GrayRobinson) that has become one of the state’s legal and lobbying heavyweights.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lawmakers fast-tracked the measures From the session’s opening bell Tuesday morning, Republican leaders moved swiftly.—
Bill Barrow,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Nevertheless, the state’s governor, attorney general and legislative leaders were meeting to discuss how the state would respond.—
Nicholas Riccardi,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Defensive struggles against the Joel Embiid/Tyrese Maxey pick-and-roll, which has flummoxed Boston’s bigs since Embiid’s mid-series return.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
-
His solid play in the outfield gives him a real chance to play in the bigs within the next three years.—
Spencer Nusbaum,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The pandemic pushed more workers than ever before into remote work, out of sight of their bosses.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
3 May 2026
-
Director Orson Krennic Anybody in middle management can relate to this Imperial officer who's saddled with getting a big project up and running (in his case, the first Death Star), forced to deal with uncaring bosses and winds up having some rebellious types screw the whole thing up.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
None have wheels or are actually mobile like an RV or trailer.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Donohue, a volunteer social worker, is set to receive her masters in social work from New York University this month.—
Niki Donohue,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
-
Vandenberg is a seven-year Marine Corps veteran, former Jeopardy champion and is studying for a masters degree in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kingpins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kingpins. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
