big idea
Americannoun
-
any plan or proposal that is grandiose, impractical, and usually unsolicited.
You're always coming around here with your big ideas.
-
purpose; intention; aim.
What's the big idea of shouting at me?
Etymology
Origin of big idea
An Americanism dating back to 1920–25
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This follows the failure of last week’s big idea, which was to pay down some of the borrowings with…er…borrowed money.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
Presumably whenever a stockpicker—whether investor or analyst—chooses the next big idea, that choice isn’t made cavalierly.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
But then, the agency people unveiled their big idea: to create a campaign centered around reanimated digital avatars of our dead loved ones.
From Slate ● Apr. 23, 2026
And a big idea of my role there is not just to report on results, but to make sure the entire company understands what’s driving it—even understands the financial metrics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
And this last year, I think she got a big idea in her head, to go to China and find them herself.
From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
