big-time

1 of 3

adjective

: relating to or involved in the big time
big-time sports
also : major sense 4
big-time operators

big-time

2 of 3

adverb

: in a major or large-scale way
the new show bombed big-time
also : to a great extent or degree
owes me big-time

big time

3 of 3

noun

1
: a high-paying vaudeville circuit requiring only two performances a day
2
: the top rank of an activity or enterprise
big-timer noun

Examples of big-time in a Sentence

Adverb wow, those renovations improved the library big-time Noun the young ad execs knew that their agency had hit the big time when major corporations came calling
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Dom Amore: UConn-Quinnipiac hockey rivalry ratchets up with NCAA match UConn and Quinnipiac, at opposite ends of the state, play in the NCAA Tournament, a good place to kick-start a big-time real hockey rivalry. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 28 Mar. 2025 Alas, calls for Eldridge, who has played 17 games above Single-A, will have to wait a few days to return, as the Giants blasted two big-time homers, the first from Heliot Ramos on the 11th pitch of an at-bat against Reds’ ace Hunter Greene, and then Flores’ game-winning blast. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2025
Adverb
Read more:Recent live events, rise of David Benavidez show boxing is thriving in Arizona Familia Ramos Anyone who has watched Jesús Ramos fight can see that there is big-time potential in the 22-year-old super welterweight. José M. Romero, The Arizona Republic, 24 Mar. 2023 All those things can be potential avenues for big-time infections. Ambar Castillo, STAT, 23 Mar. 2023
Noun
How to stay ahead amid inflation, market volatility How to stay ahead amid inflation, market volatility 02:48 Investors are bailing out of U.S. stocks — big time. Anne Marie Lee, CBS News, 18 Mar. 2025 Security Audits And Certifications Security audits and certifications give a false sense of security—big time. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for big-time

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1910, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of big-time was in 1910

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Big-time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big-time. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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!