as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
a big kahuna at a Hollywood talent agency, he's got the fancy car to prove it
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Recent Examples of kahuna
But EnCharge is entering a competitive field, and among the competitors is the big kahuna, Nvidia.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 2 June 2025
This has to be a big kahuna, among records Swift could break that go back to the very beginning of the album chart.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 June 2024
The big kahuna, Photoshop itself, costs a minimum of $9.99 per month, but that subscription also includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and 20GB of cloud storage.
—PCMAG, 10 May 2024
As an inside joke, Keōua’s kahuna, whose tongue Ka’iana rips out of his mouth in front of Keōua during the hectic battle, is played by Kahoʻokahi Kanuha, Momoa’s ʻŌlelo Hawai’i coach.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
IEEE Spectrum, 2 June 2025
This has to be a big kahuna, among records Swift could break that go back to the very beginning of the album chart.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 June 2024
The big kahuna, Photoshop itself, costs a minimum of $9.99 per month, but that subscription also includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and 20GB of cloud storage.
—PCMAG, 10 May 2024
As an inside joke, Keōua’s kahuna, whose tongue Ka’iana rips out of his mouth in front of Keōua during the hectic battle, is played by Kahoʻokahi Kanuha, Momoa’s ʻŌlelo Hawai’i coach.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kahuna
Noun
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Hong Kong/Islamabad — As the war in the Gulf careens into its second month, dragging down the global economy with no off-ramp in sight, questions are deepening around what role China – a global heavyweight and diplomatic partner to Iran – is willing to play.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
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The hospitality heavyweight, which has branched out beyond luxury trains and into yachts and hotels, just opened a second property in Italy.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In footage of their other games, like against Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, forwards also will play almost parallel to a team's bigs to eliminate any feeds into the paint.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
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The bigs asked the guards to fight over screens harder so they wouldn’t be caught out of position.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Some might consider the AirPods Max heavy (a common complaint about the originals).—
Eric Zeman,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
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The Nuggets don’t need Jokic to play the heavy in the locker room.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images Andrew, the king's brother and former prince, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, were absent after attending last year.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
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They’re currently offered in queen and king sizes for a truly luxurious addition to your bed.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales, may hold the titles of Britain's future king and queen, but the couple's most important role is as parents to their three children, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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Only 30 people were allowed at the funeral, and the queen sat alone at the church, wearing a mask.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The other day, a squad of dancers stretched and limbered up in the halls as, outside, the lions stayed still.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Once the lion’s share of AP’s revenue, big newspaper companies now account for 10% of its income.—
David Bauder,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Gaston was a strict parent for an aspiring magnate.—
Simon Akam,
Vanity Fair,
2 Apr. 2026
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As previously reported, Fred Armisen will play a major role in Season 2 as casino magnate Max Sugar.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kahuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kahuna. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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