1
as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
a police sting that nabbed several kingpins of the city's drug trade
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in leader
the person (as an employer or supervisor) who tells people and especially workers what to do
finally nailed the mob kingpin who had been controlling all the gambling rackets in the city
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kingpin
Colombia, of course, is notoriously known for the late murderous, horrific cocaine kingpin Escobar, although parts of the country are safer today.
—
Norma Meyer, Orange County Register, 12 Mar. 2025
And Zoe Saldaña took supporting actress for her role as Rita Mora Castro, a Mexico City lawyer who helps a drug kingpin transition in Jacques Audiard’s musical drama Emilia Pérez.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2025
Rendezvous Views The Island has been infused with an abundance of Bars, and now every opportunist is out to hit the jackpot including the ruthless crime kingpin Fletcher Kane.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
Becoming a kingpin If wasn't long after Wedding was released from prison before authorities cracked down on him again.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kingpin
Norma Meyer, Orange County Register, 12 Mar. 2025
And Zoe Saldaña took supporting actress for her role as Rita Mora Castro, a Mexico City lawyer who helps a drug kingpin transition in Jacques Audiard’s musical drama Emilia Pérez.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Mar. 2025
Rendezvous Views The Island has been infused with an abundance of Bars, and now every opportunist is out to hit the jackpot including the ruthless crime kingpin Fletcher Kane.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025
Becoming a kingpin If wasn't long after Wedding was released from prison before authorities cracked down on him again.
—Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for kingpin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kingpin
Noun
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The Ukrainian leader has blamed Russia for the slow progress of talks, a sentiment echoed by his European backers.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
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Outback Presents, North America’s leading independent, full-service promoter of live entertainment, has expanded its Board of Directors to include several prominent industry leaders.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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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
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The other students find the burden of imperfect English heavy.—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Her boss, Helena Eagan (Britt Lower), is set to inherit the company.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
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What could have gone down as a mundane chapter of March Madness became anything but for Terps fans after Willard picked up his megaphone the day before his team’s game and declared that his boss, athletic director, Damon Evans, was likely SMU-bound.—
Childs Walker,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This game features three of the best bigs in college basketball, two of whom — Johni Broome and Danny Wolf — could be first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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Michigan boasts two excellent bigs in Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Statham’s responsibility here is to make the Royal Marines veteran turned Chicago construction foreman look experienced enough to do serious damage, without directly repeating the dozen other movies in which he’s done so already.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2025
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The patient on the table is the Yellowstone ranch foreman, who only finds himself in this vulnerable position in the first place because powerful men want his boss’s land.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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DeGeneres flipped another Montecito property—a five-bedroom, 10-bathroom compound—in February of last year to mining magnate Robert Friedland for $32 million.—
India Roby and Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
27 Mar. 2025
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The maid at Bizarre Bazaar magnate Zachary Beck’s estate?—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Degree requirement: bachelor’s degree in information technology, engineering, computer science or business management; preference for MBA or a master’s degree in technology management.—
Terina Allen,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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What makes a painting by a master so much better than a really good fake?—
The Editors of ARTnews,
ARTnews.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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As stocks tanked following news of President Trump’s new tariffs, Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helu got billions richer.—
Gigi Zamora,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
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Robert Bass Robert Bass is a nephew of oil tycoon Sid Richardson and inherited $2.8 million after his uncle’s death in 1959.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kingpin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kingpin. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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