pooh-bah

noun

ˈpü-ˌbä How to pronounce pooh-bah (audio)
variants also poo-bah
Definition of pooh-bahnext
as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group an annual clambake that attracts political pooh-bahs from around the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 pooh-bah Through his vital performance, and no doubt, director Peter Ellenstein’s shaping and sculpting the portrayal, what could be at worst a pooh-bah’s laundry list makes for a consuming evening. — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026 Instead of improving classroom instruction, education pooh-bahs try to hide their failures by dumbing down standards. — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 This kind of surgical enhancement can still be frowned upon in the restoration world, decried as fakery by the pooh-bahs of all-original-everything. — Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 13 July 2024 To Richardson-Merrell’s pooh-bahs, her scrutiny seemed like the dilatory work of someone who didn’t know how the game was played. — Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024 Like Joe Rogan, the carnivorous pooh-bah of this intellectual space, Brand appeared interested in teaching a certain kind of man how to be a certain kind of man, mining the tension between think-for-yourself riffs and listen-to-me conclusions. — Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023 But the pooh-bahs in Brussels didn’t exactly rush to say yes. — Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 25 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pooh-bah
  1. heavyweight
  2. big
  3. heavy
  4. magnate
  5. bigwig
  6. tycoon
Noun
  • Tyson, a student of boxing history, surely would have appreciated a deeper discussion of the role of the Black heavyweight champion in culture.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Available in black and blue for $150, it is made from heavyweight, 100 percent cotton canvas with a light stone wash, full lining and corduroy collars and cuffs, according to FlyQuest’s product listings.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of heavyweight
Noun
  • Go rebound the basketball, go protect the rim, be a big big for us.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The belief in Green Bay is the veteran bigs will give Love more time to throw.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of big
Noun
  • These days her Halloween costumes are often elaborate and prosthetic-heavy.
    — Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • That also suggests the league accepts, or at least tolerates, the flag-heavy officiating that has come to define the early months of the season.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of heavy
Noun
  • French jewelry maison Boucheron was founded in 1858 and built a legacy of adorning royals, stars and magnates in jewelry that combines precious, rare gems with equally ingenious designs.
    — Tanya Dukes, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026
  • His short stint on social media wasn't the only personal detail the AI magnate offered in the interview, but one gets the sense that these days, Affleck doesn't have that much to reveal.
    — Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of magnate
Noun
  • To the average investor, the bond markets may seem like a concern better left to Wall Street bigwigs.
    — Personal Finance, TheWeek, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The suit added a glamour factor for bigwig sponsors who would sometimes ride along.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of bigwig
Noun
  • Indian tycoon Mukesh Ambani, whose plans to launch satellite communications and dominance over the Indian telecom market have drawn the ire of Elon Musk last week, has a more pressing worry.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • On the one hand, many speculated about Tom Cruise‘s wild performance in the title role as a brash, eccentric oil tycoon responsible for an environmental disaster.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of tycoon

Browse Nearby Words

pooching
pooh-bah
pooh-bahs
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Cite this Entry

“Pooh-bah.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pooh-bah. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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