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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of kahuna
The ISM Manufacturing Index kicks things off today with plenty of more data over the coming days, anchored by the big kahuna, Friday’s employment situation report for July.
—
Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022
In Cantore’s experience, nothing compares to covering the big kahuna of 2005: Katrina.
—Nick Heil, Outside Online, 25 June 2013
But the big kahuna is still to come, as the company finally confirmed that the Supra is officially getting a manual transmission.
—Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 15 Apr. 2022
The big kahuna of their SoCal tour-within-a-tour this week is Wednesday night’s show at Crypto.com Arena, a venue that’s seven miles and about 43 years from the Masque, where the earliest incarnation of the group started out as a punk group.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
Jj Kinahan, Forbes, 1 Aug. 2022
In Cantore’s experience, nothing compares to covering the big kahuna of 2005: Katrina.
—Nick Heil, Outside Online, 25 June 2013
But the big kahuna is still to come, as the company finally confirmed that the Supra is officially getting a manual transmission.
—Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 15 Apr. 2022
The big kahuna of their SoCal tour-within-a-tour this week is Wednesday night’s show at Crypto.com Arena, a venue that’s seven miles and about 43 years from the Masque, where the earliest incarnation of the group started out as a punk group.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for kahuna
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kahuna
Noun
-
Tyler Nickel has made numerous clutch 3-pointers, and the combination of that trio of perimeter weapons with a pair of burly, undersized bigs has made Vandy really dangerous.—
The Athletic,
The Athletic,
21 Mar. 2025
-
Listen to this article Welcome to the bigs, Matt Richtman.—
Rick Armstrong,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
They’re supposed to be the reinforcements, the heavies, personally recruited by Quinn — a fugitive Army Intelligence Colonel! — and installed at Beck’s place, just like Paulie.—
Chris Klimek,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2025
-
The other students find the burden of imperfect English heavy.—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Marlene Daut’s deep dive into Haiti’s first — and only — king reads like a historical novel of a bygone era with Black princes and knights, an elaborate dress code and a palace, Sans-Souci, to match.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2025
-
It’s also made this former video-store clerk the king of all content.—
Ramin Setoodeh,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While Jon is bound to leadership by a sense of duty, Daenerys sees herself as a liberator, a queen steeped in moral righteousness who freed slaves across the sea for the greater good.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
14 July 2017
-
THE TRENDSETTER Salt & Straw is the homecoming queen of ice cream in LA.—
Cole Kazdin,
Los Angeles Magazine,
14 July 2017
Noun
-
And this does not even factor in living expenses, which account for the lion’s share of college costs.—
Braulio Colón,
Orlando Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Canada’s Leverage Of the 50 critical minerals, Canada owns the lion’s share of production of the top five--lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese—collectively, thanks to its domestic industry and its interest in international mines.—
Dipka Bhambhani,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Hennessy, grandson of the liquor magnate, was surrounded by Cognac vessels growing up.—
Justin Fenner,
Robb Report,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Real estate magnate Lee Shau Kee held on to his perch as the city’s second-richest with a net worth of $29.2 billion.—
Jane Ho,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to kahuna
Cite this Entry
“Kahuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kahuna. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share