big business

American  

noun

1. large business, commercial, and financial firms taken collectively, especially when considered as a group having shared attitudes and goals and exercising control over economic policy, politics, etc.

2. any large organization of a noncommercial nature resembling this.

3. any large business enterprise.

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big business British  

noun

1. large commercial organizations collectively, esp when considered as exploitative or socially harmful

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big business Cultural  

1. Large corporations, as opposed to small individually or family-owned businesses.

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Etymology

Origin of big business

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

Example Sentences

As the unemployment rate surged to 25% and bread lines snaked around cities across the country, anger spread against the bankers and big businesses that were seen as responsible for the 1929 stock crash.

From The Wall Street Journal

Wall Street isn’t giving Arm Holdings enough credit for a big business transformation, according to an analyst.

From MarketWatch

Yet credit-card interest is big business, Pierce and other researchers wrote.

From MarketWatch

The most important night in Hollywood has become big business for prediction markets.

From Barron's

“All right, then. Today is the day we’ve been waiting for,” Mrs. Tracy said, starting the big business of the morning.

From Literature

Related Words

• business
• commerce
• corporation
• management
• production
• trade