variants
also poo-bah
as in heavyweight
one of high position or importance within a group
an annual clambake that attracts political pooh-bahs from around the state
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of pooh-bah
That’s nothing new: politics has been part of the Olympics since their inception, despite what the pooh-bahs claim.
—
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
Through his vital performance, and no doubt, director Peter Ellenstein’s shaping and sculpting the portrayal, what could be at worst a pooh-bah’s laundry list makes for a consuming evening.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
Instead of improving classroom instruction, education pooh-bahs try to hide their failures by dumbing down standards.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This kind of surgical enhancement can still be frowned upon in the restoration world, decried as fakery by the pooh-bahs of all-original-everything.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 13 July 2024
To Richardson-Merrell’s pooh-bahs, her scrutiny seemed like the dilatory work of someone who didn’t know how the game was played.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
Like Joe Rogan, the carnivorous pooh-bah of this intellectual space, Brand appeared interested in teaching a certain kind of man how to be a certain kind of man, mining the tension between think-for-yourself riffs and listen-to-me conclusions.
—Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023
But the pooh-bahs in Brussels didn’t exactly rush to say yes.
—Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 25 Oct. 2023
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
Through his vital performance, and no doubt, director Peter Ellenstein’s shaping and sculpting the portrayal, what could be at worst a pooh-bah’s laundry list makes for a consuming evening.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 20 Jan. 2026
Instead of improving classroom instruction, education pooh-bahs try to hide their failures by dumbing down standards.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This kind of surgical enhancement can still be frowned upon in the restoration world, decried as fakery by the pooh-bahs of all-original-everything.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 13 July 2024
To Richardson-Merrell’s pooh-bahs, her scrutiny seemed like the dilatory work of someone who didn’t know how the game was played.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
Like Joe Rogan, the carnivorous pooh-bah of this intellectual space, Brand appeared interested in teaching a certain kind of man how to be a certain kind of man, mining the tension between think-for-yourself riffs and listen-to-me conclusions.
—Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2023
But the pooh-bahs in Brussels didn’t exactly rush to say yes.
—Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 25 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pooh-bah
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
Noun
-
Unfortunately, too many other bigwigs of broadcasting fail to show similar even-handedness.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Party bigwigs were coming to shake his hand.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Steyer has most pointedly taken aim at tech company tycoons who have put millions into San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s campaign for governor.—
ANDREW GRAHAM,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Oil tycoon Wilmer Ruperti showed up for a meeting with Venezuela’s intelligence agency last Thursday.—
Eleanor Mueller,
semafor.com,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pooh-bah.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pooh-bah. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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