big shot
91
3.9
- noun
- /bɪɡ ʃɑt/
- Informal
:
pez gordo
- The new CEO is a big shot in the tech industry, known for his innovative ideas.
- a lot of big shots
- act like a big shot
- a Hollywood big shot
They'll have all those economic big shots like Krup and Tyson.
- They'll have all those economic big shots like Krup and Tyson.
- These are Kennedy people because, you know, the big shots, they don't need the Kennedys.
- And then he moved to New York City and became a big shot lawyer.
- Because I can say from experience, you can feel like a big shot in life until you're in certain rooms.
- You can walk around your little place and feel like the the big shot.
- You can think of yourself as this hot shot, big shot guy or gal, doesn't matter.
- So when it comes to narcissistic abuse, it's the regular folks that not big shots, who fall the hardest.
- You know, it was, it was, you know, it kept my reality check because like, OK, you're, you're a big shot trying to sell jets, but you're just selling jets.
- So my brother in law's dad, he was like this massive, big, big, big shot attorney, divorce attorney in Milwaukee.
- And it's not just to like be a big shot or to keep them from disliking you or to make them like you.
- And one of my friends who was kind of a big shot at network, he was the only one that apologized to me.
- And it's a continuum ranging from passive aggressive mockery like oh hey look your mom thinks she's a big shot now.
- And she is feeding this guy, telling him that because she's like some, I don't know, big shot lawyer or something.
- I put my blood, sweat and tears into building him, and he forgot to mention him with these big shots.
- Like, like I noticed that Danny puts his money where it's where it's smart and not where it's flashy to let everybody know, hey, look, I'm a big shot.
- And these assholes are such big shots, you know?
- I think Logan Paul is a big shot in the arm for boxing.
- He was sort of the headline or the big * big shot of the club, but it was just OK.
- But this is like, you know, they're big shot woman who plays my daughter Lukita.
Examples
-
OK, well, I would love to know because I'm the mayor and I'm still a big shot in this town.
-
Her husband was a big-shot banker, and she'd been to Rio and everywhere.
Fiction book (1990) -
Had to go and be a big shot on TV.
-
You are the big shot.
-
Bill's a big shot in his way.
-
I saw him on the TV news a lot with all the other big shots.
Fiction book (1991) -
Her husband is a big shot engineer; he can help her.
Fiction book (1995) -
There are some big shots involved in this mess, and it's my word against theirs.
Fiction book (1991) -
All of our dads were these big shots.
-
Everybody says, "Tony Camonte, he's a big shot."
Synonyms
126
4.0
A very important and influential person in a field
71
7.0
A person who is very skilled and often admired at their job
57
4.5
A person, team, or organization that is very successful and able to influence others
43
3.5
A famous and important person or group in one area
37
3.8
An important person who is treated as successful or powerful
35
6.8
A very important event, thing, or person that matters a lot
29
3.8
A person or company that has a lot of power in a field
22
6.9
An important person with power in a company or group
14
3.6
An important person in a group or organization who has power
12
4.9
A person who has a lot of power and influence in a field
9
5.1
An important person with power in a company or field
9
6.3
A person who is in charge of a company or group
8
5.3
A person who is very important in a group or company
4
9.5
A very important person in a group or organization, often the most powerful
2
6.7
A person who is very important and powerful in a group
1
8.1
An important person who makes key decisions for a group
1
2.5
An important person who is well known in a field
1
8.6
A person who has a lot of influence or authority in a field
1
8.6
An important person with power in a group or area
1
5.6
An important person who has a lot of power in a group
A person or thing that is very famous and successful, often in entertainment
Antonyms
How Important
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although 'big' signals largeness or importance, the noun 'shot' in its literal senses (a hit, an attempt, or a person who shoots) does not transparently yield the meaning 'important person'. The compound is an idiomatic collocation whose overall meaning is not predictably composed from its parts, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words is unlikely to infer the intended sense without prior exposure.
Etymology
The expression big shot may come from hunting or marksmanship: imagine someone who makes a very strong shot that hits a big target and earns attention. That's why people started using big shot to mean 'an important or powerful person'.