nabob

noun

ˈnā-ˌbäb How to pronounce nabob (audio)
Definition of nabobnext
as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group dressed conservatively so as to make a good impression with the nabobs on the co-op's board

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 nabob But all the nattering nabobs of negativism who’d normally have been concentrating on Maura’s catastrophic first term had to devote at least a little attention to recounting one of the Wu Klux Klan’s more embarrassing moments of 2025. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 21 Jan. 2026 Back then, white scholars saw history through the eyes of society’s nabobs, kings and presidents. — Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025 Nattering nabobs of non-mainstream media might call it assault by beverage. — Pat Beall, Orlando Sentinel, 14 July 2024 The Gold Coast once held the highest concentrations of American wealth, and today, the area remains an upscale part of Long Island, with many of those centuries-old homes of Gilded Age nabobs still intact. — Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2024 Chattering nabobs of negativity have highlighted that 66 Chinese companies are being removed from indices. — Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nabob
  1. heavyweight
  2. heavy
  3. magnate
  4. big
  5. nawab
  6. king
  7. tycoon
  8. lion
Noun
  • This comes after index heavyweight SK Hynix sank over 10% in Asian trade.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 13 July 2026
  • Its Virginia Payload Module gives it a large and well-defined cruise-missile capacity, while its torpedo tubes can launch Mk 48 heavyweight torpedoes.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026
Definition of heavyweight
Noun
  • Soon after Rhaenyra executes Otto Hightower, who was once mastermind of that family’s schemes, Ormund steps up to be the faction’s new heavy.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 13 July 2026
  • Shares of Meta are flat on the year, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 is up 18%.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 10 July 2026
Definition of heavy
Noun
  • San Luis Obispo county also boasts Hearst Castle, a state park once the mansion of the publishing magnate.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • Real estate magnate Lee Miglin was discovered slain on May 4, 1997, in the garage of his Gold Coast home.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of magnate
Noun
  • Robinson will be a far tougher test for Embiid and the East’s other bigs.
    — Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Mazzulla’s scheme could help, even in lineups with Neemias Queta, because of how often Boston puts its bigs out on the perimeter as screeners and dribble-handoff threats.
    — Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of big
Noun
  • The manuscript was acquired by Asaf-ud-Daula, nawab of Awadh, and was presented to King George III in 1798.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The lights dim, and a hush falls over the crowd, as the last nawab of Oudh strides onto the stage at Palo Alto’s Cubberley Theater.
    — Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2025
Definition of nawab
Noun
  • Garbrandt, once an undefeated bantamweight king, now holds a 15-8 record, with most losses coming by finish.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
  • Now much of their thinking has infiltrated nu-conservatism, and the rest of us have been forced to learn about Braden Peters, better known as Clavicular—the king of the looksmaxxing sphere.
    — Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
Definition of king
Noun
  • The intensely private Korean shipping tycoon rocked the tanker industry early this year as his Sinokor Group embarked on an unprecedented buying spree.
    — Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • The 58-year-old construction tycoon renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2017, Ukrainian media reported, and has been a citizen of Cyprus since 2019.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of tycoon
Noun
  • Some people, however, take more than others, with cops and crooks snagging the lion’s share while ordinary people divvy up the scraps.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 11 July 2026
  • Then came the removal of China’s lions along with national symbols at other countries’ buildings across Ny-Ålesund.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of lion

Browse Nearby Words

nabes
nabob
nabobs
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Nabob.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nabob. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on nabob

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nabob

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All