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Synonyms

big wheel

American  

noun

Informal.

  1. an influential or important person.

    a big wheel in business.
big wheel British  

noun

  1. another name for a Ferris wheel

  2. informal an important person

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
big wheel Idioms  

  1. see under big cheese.

Etymology

Origin of big wheel

First recorded in 1905–10

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.

On Friday, viewers will see him give the big wheel his final spin, capping one of the most impressive runs in television history — and the longest ever for a game show host.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024

In a visual medium such as film or television, the writer is often viewed as an invisible spoke in a very big wheel.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2023

He says visitor numbers are currently looking good, partly due to the arrival of the big wheel.

From BBC • Jul. 24, 2021

Paramedics loaded the injured hiker into a big wheel stretcher and safely got him down the rest of the trail.

From Washington Times • Feb. 7, 2021

“So I figured that putting them on a big wheel would make things easier.”

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

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.