as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
a big kahuna at a Hollywood talent agency, he's got the fancy car to prove it
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Recent Examples of kahuna
But EnCharge is entering a competitive field, and among the competitors is the big kahuna, Nvidia.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 2 June 2025
This has to be a big kahuna, among records Swift could break that go back to the very beginning of the album chart.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 June 2024
The big kahuna, Photoshop itself, costs a minimum of $9.99 per month, but that subscription also includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and 20GB of cloud storage.
—PCMAG, 10 May 2024
As an inside joke, Keōua’s kahuna, whose tongue Ka’iana rips out of his mouth in front of Keōua during the hectic battle, is played by Kahoʻokahi Kanuha, Momoa’s ʻŌlelo Hawai’i coach.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
IEEE Spectrum, 2 June 2025
This has to be a big kahuna, among records Swift could break that go back to the very beginning of the album chart.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 June 2024
The big kahuna, Photoshop itself, costs a minimum of $9.99 per month, but that subscription also includes Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, and 20GB of cloud storage.
—PCMAG, 10 May 2024
As an inside joke, Keōua’s kahuna, whose tongue Ka’iana rips out of his mouth in front of Keōua during the hectic battle, is played by Kahoʻokahi Kanuha, Momoa’s ʻŌlelo Hawai’i coach.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kahuna
Noun
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Hong Kong/Islamabad — As the war in the Gulf careens into its second month, dragging down the global economy with no off-ramp in sight, questions are deepening around what role China – a global heavyweight and diplomatic partner to Iran – is willing to play.—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
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The hospitality heavyweight, which has branched out beyond luxury trains and into yachts and hotels, just opened a second property in Italy.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In footage of their other games, like against Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, forwards also will play almost parallel to a team's bigs to eliminate any feeds into the paint.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
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The bigs asked the guards to fight over screens harder so they wouldn’t be caught out of position.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Nuggets don’t need Jokic to play the heavy in the locker room.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
25 Mar. 2026
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How the Script Walks a Tonal Tightrope Radcliffe credited playwrights Macmillan and Donahoe with building a structure that lets the performer pivot rapidly between the heavy and the silly.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Accessibility The bar and common areas are ADA Accessible, as are a few of the king rooms.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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Below, according to a San Francisco Chronicle video, in bold white letters on the sand, demonstrators displayed another message saying no to ICE, wars, lies and kings.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Behind them, a Regency-era queen was undergoing WIG PREP, which is the work that’s done beneath the actual wig, while WIG STYLING is the assembling of the wig itself.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Pockets are a negligible detail for many, but certainly not for the beloved queen.—
Laura Scafati,
Vanity Fair,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The proud bronze lions outside the Art Institute are getting very annoyed and starting to grumble.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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To the lower left of Regulus is a small but distinct triangle that makes up the lion’s rear and tail.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ruperti, who arrived at the meeting with a security detail, is a Venezuelan Italian shipping magnate who trades in petroleum coke.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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The dining magnate is opening up a multi-level dining spot in Midtown called 550 Madison, with the folks at Rockwell Group helming the design.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kahuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kahuna. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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