as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
the once-tiny ad agency is now a big leaguer that attracts clients on the A-list
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Recent Examples of big leaguer
That was a gift from former Indy ball teammate and ex-big leaguer Matt Adams.
—
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Around him was not a single big leaguer, minor leaguer, or anyone with a heater topping 90 miles per hour.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Anthony becomes the 12th Red Sox big leaguer to commit to the WBC.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
Brazil’s Joseph Contreras, a 17-year-old right-hander who is a son of former big leaguer José Contreras, is the youngest player on any roster.
—Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
But chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is a former big leaguer and a Yale graduate.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
After going hitless in his first two at-bats, Bob Seymour reached base for the first time as a big leaguer by drawing a walk.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Around him was not a single big leaguer, minor leaguer, or anyone with a heater topping 90 miles per hour.
—Sam Blum, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Anthony becomes the 12th Red Sox big leaguer to commit to the WBC.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 16 Feb. 2026
Brazil’s Joseph Contreras, a 17-year-old right-hander who is a son of former big leaguer José Contreras, is the youngest player on any roster.
—Ronald Blum, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
But chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is a former big leaguer and a Yale graduate.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
After going hitless in his first two at-bats, Bob Seymour reached base for the first time as a big leaguer by drawing a walk.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for big leaguer
Noun
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Which heavyweights are looking good?—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
-
Now, on the back of investor enthusiasm for high-growth plays, AI heavyweights Anthropic and OpenAI have also confidentially filed to go public.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Kier’s American career centered around playing heavies.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
24 Nov. 2025
-
Rainfall this heavy is usually confined to the summer months, but ongoing unseasonable heat in the South is raising the bar on how much moisture these storms could wring out of the atmosphere.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
20 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In discussing Wembanyama, Chuck’s reference point to the overall impact of the 7-foot-4 phenom is another unique big who turned a team into a contender quickly with a game unlike many had seen.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
8 June 2026
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The Spurs have survived the games in which Castle has been loose with the ball, but that feels like a recipe for failure on this big of a stage.—
Tom Rende,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
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That big boy came straight up out of the water until his tail was a foot above its surface, then smacked back.—
Arthur Grahame,
Outdoor Life,
4 June 2025
-
This whole situation in the industry is like a big boy's club...—
Mekishana Pierre Published,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
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There also aren't too many catchers who can put up above-average offensive stats these days, so adding Jeffers into the deal means the Yankees should be prepared to part ways with at least one of their big guns in the pitching pipeline, namely Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodríguez.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
-
Other high-end names in the mix include big guns like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Gucci.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Still, expect short overhangs and big wheels, even if not quite the size of these absurdly chrome 24-inchers.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
ArsTechnica,
13 Aug. 2025
-
The Lyriq’s long nose and roof create a sporty profile that’s emphasized by big wheel openings with subtle fender flares and a steeply raked rear window.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Those supporters were left unchallenged by stewards, despite FIFA winning a court hearing enabling them to lawfully prohibit people showing the lion-and-sun flags on the grounds of them carrying a political message and potentially causing disturbances.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Some fans held out flags of the current Islamic Republic, while others displayed lion flags from the pre-revolutionary period.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Noun
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The on-screen royal family is joined by Hollywood heavy hitters, including Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, and Elliot Page.—
Sharareh Drury,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
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Returning heavy hitters include Gagosian, Gladstone Gallery, Marian Goodman Gallery, Hauser & Wirth, kurimanzutto, Mendes Wood DM, Pace Gallery, Thaddaeus Ropac, White Cube, and David Zwirner.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Big leaguer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/big%20leaguer. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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