How to Use the big boys in a Sentence

the big boys

plural noun
Definition of the big boysnext
  • But the Saints, under coach Ron Gladnick, wanted to stay with the big boys.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2023
  • The Golden Globes 2024 might go down as the night that the big boys of Hollywood took back control.
    — Sarah Crompton, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2024
  • As for the ecosystem choice, that’s a business model only for the big boys.
    — Vinod Jain, Forbes, 4 May 2023
  • The most frightening part is how a program like San Diego State tries to trade punches with the big boys.
    — Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Dec. 2023
  • The Padres have shown no hesitancy spending with the big boys.
    — Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2023
  • Add returning running back Dane Dunn and Sierra Canyon is ready to take on the big boys this fall.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2023
  • Regardless of backing by the big boys, Schweitzer still has plenty of bragging rights.
    — Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2023
  • But do the Terrapins have the talent in both lines to compete with the big boys in the final season of divisional play?
    — Jeff Potrykus, Journal Sentinel, 30 Aug. 2023
  • The Celtics have taken lighter opponents lightly but always are prepared against the big boys.
    — Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Nelemans maintains that his company has developed a use case all its own, one that the big boys would sneer at.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 4 Jan. 2018
  • The speed-run from sly, in-good-fun riff on merchandising to full-scale cooptation from the big boys has been incredible.
    — Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
  • Among the triple-nominees, freshman artist Moroney is the only one not to have been nominated for video of the year, but her nods in other categories put her up there with the big boys and girls.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024
  • One of the top teams in college football, and historically competitive in college basketball, the Ducks fit well in the Big Ten at the big boys’ table.
    — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the big boys.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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