the big time
noun phrase
: the highest or most successful level of an activity
He was a good basketball player but he never made (it to) the big time.
The group performed in small clubs for years before hitting the big time with a record deal.
Examples of the big time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But fans of these teams got glimpses this season of a potential return to the big time.
—
Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
Within the building, there are coaching offices, strength and conditioning rooms and a wide-open concourse that gives this community college a taste of the big time.
—Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025
But between its unusual style of play—performers move their hands in proximity to two antennas that control pitch and volume—and an expensive price tag during the Great Depression, the theremin failed to make the big time.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Dec. 2013
Howard knows Star Wars, and deserves a shot at the big time.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big time
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Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 17 Feb. 2025
Within the building, there are coaching offices, strength and conditioning rooms and a wide-open concourse that gives this community college a taste of the big time.
—Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 14 Feb. 2025
But between its unusual style of play—performers move their hands in proximity to two antennas that control pitch and volume—and an expensive price tag during the Great Depression, the theremin failed to make the big time.
—IEEE Spectrum, 20 Dec. 2013
Howard knows Star Wars, and deserves a shot at the big time.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the big time
Cite this Entry
“The big time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20big%20time. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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