the big cheese
noun
informal
: a most powerful or important person
You'll have to ask the big cheese.
Who's the big cheese around here?
Examples of the big cheese in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Irvine’s mayor was the big cheese, with total comp of $52,633 ($29,700 in total wages, plus $22,933 in health and retirement benefits).
—
Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 11 May 2024
Meghan McCain has beef with the big cheese — Chuck E. Cheese, to be exact.
—EW.com, 7 Nov. 2023
In new hands, a rural Virginia gem continues its delicious streak
How might the big cheese tackle the list?
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 14 July 2023
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.
Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 11 May 2024
Meghan McCain has beef with the big cheese — Chuck E. Cheese, to be exact.
—EW.com, 7 Nov. 2023
In new hands, a rural Virginia gem continues its delicious streak
How might the big cheese tackle the list?
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 14 July 2023
Dictionary Entries Near the big cheese
Cite this Entry
“The big cheese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20big%20cheese. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share