Big Ten

Cultural

A group of prominent midwestern universities known for high academic standards and keen athletic competition. Nine of the ten are state universities: the universities of Illinois (at Urbana), Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin (at Madison); Michigan State University; Ohio State University; Indiana University; and Purdue University. Northwestern University is the sole private school.

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.

An incredibly efficient shooter, Brown has size and is a three-level scorer who has been a top perimeter defender in the Big 12 and Big Ten.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

The Bruins are 31-2 and 16-0 in the Big Ten.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“If you’re as visible as the Big Ten schools are, you’re going to get attention of elite recruits.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

In the end, it didn’t matter that most of Michigan’s roster had spent only seven months in a Wolverines uniform—or that the Big Ten somehow hadn’t won a national title in men’s basketball since 2000.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

“You played Big Ten? That’s serious bragging rights,” Styx acknowledged.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023