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 Rebate Project, though, is the big kahuna.
—
Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2021
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
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
Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2021
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
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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At this big of a discount, don't miss out on this deal!—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Aug. 2025
-
One of the few cracks in Minnesota’s defensive armor this season has occasionally been slowing down back-to-the-basket bigs, but great defensive wing play can be part of that antidote, as well, as perimeter pressure limits the opponent’s ability to effectively enter the ball into the post.—
Jjfrederick,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Contributors include commentator heavies like Osita Nwanevu, Kim Kelly, and Anna Merlan.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
8 July 2025
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First question first: Is Usyk the GOAT of the heavies?—
Anthony Stitt,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Morgan Wallen remains the undisputed king of country music at the moment.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Clocking in at 2,300 square feet each, these residences feature four king bedrooms, an open floor plan, full kitchens, private patios, and 24/7 concierge service.—
Mae Hamilton,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Aug. 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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What To Know Sea lions across California's coast have contracted Leptospirosis in recent days, with at least 100 infected this month, per the MMC.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
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Here’s where things could get really icky for consumers: Right now, the lion’s share of cost pressures aren’t even coming from tariff-sensitive goods.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The lawyers of President Donald Trump and Rupert Murdoch have agreed to pause an effort to force the 94-year-old media magnate to testify before a federal court in the president’s defamation case against the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.—
Sarah Whitmire,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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The moves reflect Trump’s aggressiveness toward media who displease him — even a media magnate, Rupert Murdoch, with outlets that have been friendly to him in the past.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kahuna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kahuna. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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