heavy hitter

noun

1. a baseball player who makes many extra-base hits.

2. a very important or influential person.

   the secretary of state and other heavy hitters.

heavy hitter

noun

1. informal,  another term for big hitter

Other Word Forms

• heavy-hitter adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heavy hitter¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Idioms and Phrases

An important or influential individual or organization. For example, This publishing house is one of the heavy hitters in the textbook industry. This expression originated in sports such as boxing, where it literally meant “hitting hard,” and was transferred to other enterprises in the mid-1900s.

Example Sentences

Dickinson has cited inspiration from a substantial slate of heavy hitters, Mike Leigh’s “Naked,” Leos Carax’s “The Lovers on the Bridge” and Agnès Varda‘s “Vagabond” — all of which sculpted his approach.

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In her reshuffle, former Home Secretary James Cleverly was brought back to the front bench, with Badenoch saying that she wanted to "make sure all our heavy hitters" are there.

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She touted her support from heavy hitters such as the Los Angeles County Democratic Party and the county’s Federation of Labor.

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The country icon’s always-stacked Outlaw Music Festival blows into the Gorge with arguably the heaviest of heavy hitter lineups this summer.

Read more on Seattle Times

Westminster routinely attracts a roster of dog showing’s heavy hitters.

Read more on Seattle Times