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Synonyms

big idea

American  

noun

Informal.
  1. any plan or proposal that is grandiose, impractical, and usually unsolicited.

    You're always coming around here with your big ideas.

  2. 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.

At a Senate hearing I once attended, one member’s big idea was to write a dress code for all 100,000 public K-12 schools.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Watching Ally and Jay bicker about work while dodging blades, the movie’s one big idea beams in all-caps: “His Girl Friday the 13th.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 5, 2025

While waiting for a delayed train on a cold railway station platform back in 2016 a 30-something tech enthusiast had his big idea.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2024

Still, there’s a very provocative big idea hiding under all theatrics: that once fashion enters the museum and falls into hands of a conservator it becomes an object and effectively “dies.”

From New York Times • May 9, 2024

“What was this big idea you had, anyway?”

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling