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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kingpins
The artifacts were seized through civil forfeiture, a sometimes controversial practice that dates back to the age of privateers and that has since been used to go after moonshiners, mafia dons and drug kingpins.
—
Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Another 22 billionaires returned to the ranking after dropping off the list in a previous year, including crypto kingpins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and stock trading app Robinhood’s Baiju Bhatt.
—Thomas Gallagher, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Described as cocaine kingpins and convicted of a non-violent drug conspiracy, the brothers had been in prison since the mid-1990s, according to NBC DFW.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2025
The same goes for Georgia and Ohio State and several other current kingpins.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
So how about De Niro playing not one but two Mafia kingpins in the same movie?
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Crypto kingpins rubbing elbows with the president and the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission?
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
The last season left off with Rue owing kingpins a couple of g’s without resolving that major story line.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
Beneath the criminal hierarchy of kingpins, middlemen, and trigger pullers is a vast network of supporters greasing the wheels.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025
Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Another 22 billionaires returned to the ranking after dropping off the list in a previous year, including crypto kingpins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss and stock trading app Robinhood’s Baiju Bhatt.
—Thomas Gallagher, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Described as cocaine kingpins and convicted of a non-violent drug conspiracy, the brothers had been in prison since the mid-1990s, according to NBC DFW.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Aug. 2025
The same goes for Georgia and Ohio State and several other current kingpins.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
So how about De Niro playing not one but two Mafia kingpins in the same movie?
—Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
Crypto kingpins rubbing elbows with the president and the head of the Securities and Exchange Commission?
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
The last season left off with Rue owing kingpins a couple of g’s without resolving that major story line.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2025
Beneath the criminal hierarchy of kingpins, middlemen, and trigger pullers is a vast network of supporters greasing the wheels.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 16 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kingpins
Noun
-
The congratulatory messages from the two ex-presidents, who are among the Democratic Party’s most popular national figures, appear to be a signal mainstream Democratic heavyweights are warming up to Mamdani as the party continues to regroup following staggering losses nationally in 2024.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
-
In the first episode of Season 3, Tommy is working to unite the city's biggest drug heavyweights to solidify his own network alongside his partner, Diamond.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Should the leaders falter over the months ahead, Slot and Guardiola will hope their teams are in a position to capitalise.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Despite vocal support from Aspire Capitol Heights families and a concerted effort from school leaders to prove that the school’s fiscal and academic issues could be solved, the board voted 4-1 to deny the school’s charter renewal.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Cherry also resembles one of the best bigs in basketball in Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks, from the build to the high hair and the cool and calm demeanor.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
New York's farm system is as good as any, and features several players nearing the bigs.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Since the beginning of this administration, Silicon Valley’s biggest bosses have appeased the president, capitulating to his every whim — agreeing to pay export taxes, giving away equity to the government, defunding schools for Latino students and ending diversity programs.—
Mercury News & East Bay Times editorial,
Mercury News,
7 Nov. 2025
-
At the beginning of the industrial revolution, the big bosses considered women inferior to their male counterparts (weaker, more emotional, less reliable, and so forth).—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In February, Mayor Harrell, at the behest of local heavies such as Amazon and Microsoft, led the opposition to a referendum on another tax on those companies which would help pay for public, mixed-income housing in a city that desperately needs it.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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,
10 Nov. 2025
-
And the boy looked at this giant peppermint on the wheels and felt pride.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Rosewood Amsterdam, for example, is an art gallery in its own right, with an expansive collection of more than 1,000 artworks that spotlight both new-generation talent and Dutch masters.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Air Mail’s fate shows that even the masters of the old form faced major headwinds when trying to navigate the new media landscape.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kingpins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kingpins. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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