variants
also poo-bah
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
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Recent Examples of pooh-bah
That’s nothing new: politics has been part of the Olympics since their inception, despite what the pooh-bahs claim.
—
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
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
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
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
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
-
There’s a new heavyweight ruling Pier 39 — and tourists can’t stop filming him.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Some bigs take longer to develop than others in their age group.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Spurs pulled off a comeback win in the second half of Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead without Wembanyama; Luke Kornet started in his place, and rookie Carter Bryant had a successful run as the backup big.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Scoring more than 50% off on these bass-heavy icons is a total win for your playlist and your pocket.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The only caution is that the Chiefs were drafting from a position of strength and still leaned projection-heavy on a few picks, but that is a very small complaint for a very sharp weekend.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In February of 2017, the British business magnate Richard Branson posted photos of Obama learning to kite surf off Branson’s private island, in the Caribbean.—
Peter Slevin,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Manny Kadre, the Miami auto magnate and chair of the board of trustees, is on the inside, too.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Suspicions of possible ties to drug traffickers have long hung over Rocha Mayo, who was born in Badiraguato, the same mountainous municipality in Sinaloa that is the hometown of El Chapo and other cartel bigwigs.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Locking the doors has been the point, as Beacon Hill bigwigs have dodged every jab DiZoglio could throw.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yet the story of the toiler turned tycoon persisted.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
In 2022, Jack landed a new job as a marketing executive with property tycoon Mike Meldman — one of Clooney's business partners — which required the family to begin splitting their time between England and Portugal.—
Emy LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pooh-bah.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pooh-bah. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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