as in big(s)
the highest level of a field of endeavor
when you've landed a tenure-track position at that university, you're playing in the major leagues
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Recent Examples of major league
Yates is technically making a return the Angels, who employed him for one major league appearance in 2017 after claiming him off waivers from the New York Yankees.
—
Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
Mattingly replaces Mike Calitri, who was the Phillies’ bench coach from 2022-25 before becoming their major league field coordinator this offseason.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
Romano, 32, had a 2.67 ERA through his first five major league seasons, including a 2.49 mark over his back-to-back All-Star seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 17 Dec. 2025
Michael Plassmeyer, a two-year major league veteran with the Philadelphia Phillies who spent the season in the minor leagues for the Texas Rangers, signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays, according to the transactions log on his official roster page.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for major league
Arkansas Online, 7 Jan. 2026
Mattingly replaces Mike Calitri, who was the Phillies’ bench coach from 2022-25 before becoming their major league field coordinator this offseason.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
Romano, 32, had a 2.67 ERA through his first five major league seasons, including a 2.49 mark over his back-to-back All-Star seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 17 Dec. 2025
Michael Plassmeyer, a two-year major league veteran with the Philadelphia Phillies who spent the season in the minor leagues for the Texas Rangers, signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays, according to the transactions log on his official roster page.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for major league
Recent Examples of Synonyms for major league
big time
Noun
-
So that’s just the nature of the beast of being with the New York Yankees, even though giving up control where maybe certain other markets that plays big time.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
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Plus, hair transformations are often used to convey big time jumps in TV shows, and that scene takes place 18 months after the big battle with the Mind Flayer and Vecna.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Major league.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/major%20league. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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