big wheel

noun

plural big wheels
1
chiefly US, informal : an important person : bigwig, big shot
He … followed the girl to the elevator, and got in with her as if she were a big wheel in Bronx politics.Wilfrid Sheed
2
British : ferris wheel
The wheel formation is the basis of most rides, and the Big Wheel itself is not a new machine.Ian Starsmore
They ate toffee apples and sweet popcorn, shot at targets, tossed rings and rode on the big wheel.Paulo Lins

Examples of big wheel in a Sentence

He's a big wheel in local politics. rose in the ranks to become a big wheel on Wall Street
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
One of the teachers at Abbott, Jacob (played by Chris Perfetti), paid homage to Sajak with his costume, which even included a big wheel. Kayla Caldwell, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 The original penny-farthing bicycle had a big wheel up front with a smaller one out at the back, and was also known as a high-wheel cycle. New Atlas, 6 Oct. 2024 The 3’s styling is distinctive, with a long hood, big wheel openings, fast windshield, falling roofline and short rear overhang. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 23 Sep. 2024 The Fury’s developers wisely emphasized mobility, and gave their ’bot big wheels, a low center of gravity and a high chassis with plenty of ground clearance. David Axe, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for big wheel 

Word History

First Known Use

1893, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of big wheel was in 1893

Dictionary Entries Near big wheel

Cite this Entry

“Big wheel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20wheel. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!