1
as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
a police sting that nabbed several kingpins of the city's drug trade
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leader
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do
finally nailed the mob kingpin who had been controlling all the gambling rackets in the city
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kingpin
But her boss rejects her resignation, and offers her a new assignment: find Xavier, the mysterious kingpin whose power reaches all the way to the Oval Office.
—
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 4 July 2025
Police and prosecutors alleged that Reginald Dillard and Eddie Fredrick, two drug dealers from Michigan, carried out the murder under orders from a local kingpin who wanted Thomas dead for working with the police.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
More to Read 17 members of a cartel kingpin’s family were escorted into California from Mexico.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
But when two men on his ship go missing, the Buckleys are drawn into a deadly rivalry between two drug kingpins: the Parker family and notorious smuggler Grady (Topher Grace).
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for kingpin
Hunter Ingram, Variety, 4 July 2025
Police and prosecutors alleged that Reginald Dillard and Eddie Fredrick, two drug dealers from Michigan, carried out the murder under orders from a local kingpin who wanted Thomas dead for working with the police.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 3 July 2025
More to Read 17 members of a cartel kingpin’s family were escorted into California from Mexico.
—Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
But when two men on his ship go missing, the Buckleys are drawn into a deadly rivalry between two drug kingpins: the Parker family and notorious smuggler Grady (Topher Grace).
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for kingpin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kingpin
Noun
-
More than 100 people packed a community meeting with Cincinnati leaders Tuesday night that had been scheduled before the fight.—
Enquirer staff,
The Enquirer,
31 July 2025
-
De Moraes revoked Bolsonaro’s passport and issued additional punishments to the leader who allegedly staged a coup with several dozen others following his 2022 electoral loss to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
First question first: Is Usyk the GOAT of the heavies?—
Anthony Stitt,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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And if that timeliness doesn't impress you, maybe Cap wrecking a bunch of heavies in an elevator will.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
In June, a Mexican man was arrested while his boss, a U.S. citizen, was driving him and his brother to a construction site.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Aug. 2025
-
This season could be important for Gutekunst’s long-term future in the job, and what better way to make a statement to your new boss than acquiring a player who could help the Packers return to the game’s biggest stage?—
Jon Machota,
New York Times,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
His mastery of the pick-and-roll/pick-and-pop will also pair well with the Clippers’ troika of bigs (Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez, and John Collins).—
Mat Issa,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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The fans welcomed the 23-year-old back to the bigs with a standing ovation in his first at-bat.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Sacco leads on overtime so far in 2025, followed by Cades, foreman Ahmad Barakati, who has made $104,267 in overtime out of $167,845 in pay, Caruso, and Kelly, who has made $95,244 of his $159,348 pay in overtime.—
Matthew Medsger,
Boston Herald,
21 July 2025
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Jury foreman Jim Stuhlman said ultimately, prosecutors didn not provide enough evidence to prove their case.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Mimran, the son of billionaire sugar magnate Jean-Claude Mimran, had offered to serve as a third-party guarantor for an untitled ca.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
17 July 2025
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The residence was purchased in the 1970s for just $900,000 by the late radio concert promoter and radio station magnate Ken Roberts, who wound up relinquishing it to the financial services firm New Stream Capital in 2010 to settle a $27.5 million legal claim.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
15 July 2025
Noun
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There’s also a potential downside to the biggest upside: ownership of the masters.—
Todd Longwell,
Variety,
30 July 2025
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Thomas grew up in Hartford, graduated from East Catholic High School in 1965 and later got a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of New Haven, according to his obituary.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
The Indian tycoon and To Lam, general secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party, met in Hanoi yesterday.—
Yessar Rosendar,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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Citizen Kane tells the story of a publishing tycoon named Charles Foster Kane, a character Welles based on William Randolph Hearst.—
Sonja Anderson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kingpin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kingpin. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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