the big leagues
plural noun
US
: the two highest U.S. baseball leagues (the American League and the National League)
He always dreamed of playing in the big leagues.
—often used figurativelyShe's moving up to the big leagues in the television industry.
She's in the big leagues now, working for a major law firm in a large city.
Examples of the big leagues in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Kodai Senga was set to make his second start since returning to the big leagues.
—
James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026
Caglianone completed the best series of his 12 1/2 months in the big leagues over the weekend.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
Trout’s 66 walks also ranked second in the big leagues, behind the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Dean, a 2018 17th-round pick of the Atlanta Braves, made his MLB debut in 2025 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, spending 52 days in the big leagues and serving primarily as a pinch runner or defensive replacement.
—Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the big leagues
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James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026
Caglianone completed the best series of his 12 1/2 months in the big leagues over the weekend.
—Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 22 June 2026
Trout’s 66 walks also ranked second in the big leagues, behind the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Dean, a 2018 17th-round pick of the Atlanta Braves, made his MLB debut in 2025 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, spending 52 days in the big leagues and serving primarily as a pinch runner or defensive replacement.
—Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for the big leagues
Cite this Entry
“The big leagues.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20big%20leagues. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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