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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Example Sentences
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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
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Minnesota countered with only two bigs in Dawson Garcia (6-11) and Parker Fox (6-8).—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
9 Feb. 2025
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In its broadest scope, the Wizards’ decision over the summer to sign Valančiūnas provided some instant offense, some defensive rebounding and some cover for Sarr to avoid getting shoved around by some of the league’s most physical bigs.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Another Hollywood heavy was Marlon Brando, who gave Jackson acting advice.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
4 Jan. 2025
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Late one night, the heavies from the local don throw a few bricks through the window of an honest shopkeeper.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The exhibition’s most riveting work, sure to have been a popular favorite, is the roughly life-size bronze head of Seuthes III, a Thracian king almost contemporary with, if perhaps slightly younger than, Macedonian Alexander the Great.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2025
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The constellation Cepheus is not nearly as bright as Cassiopeia and looks nothing like a king.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
9 Feb. 2025
Noun
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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
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THE TRENDSETTER Salt & Straw is the homecoming queen of ice cream in LA.—
Cole Kazdin,
Los Angeles Magazine,
14 July 2017
Noun
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One of the new exhibits includes a 23-acre African savanna featuring rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs and lions, according to past reporting.—
Emma Hall,
Sacramento Bee,
13 Feb. 2025
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So the legislature directed the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to look into mule deer herds and rewrite lion plans in any deer areas with high lion predation.—
Christine Peterson,
Outdoor Life,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Aga Khan's Legacy The Aga Khan was not only a religious figure but also evolved into a business magnate and philanthropist over the decades.—
Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
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All the while, Musk, the billionaire tech magnate who has never been elected to office or confirmed by the Senate for a high-level government job, is pushing a far-reaching agenda.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC News,
4 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Kahuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kahuna. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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