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king of the castle

British  

noun

  1. a children's game in which each child attempts to stand alone on a mound, sandcastle, etc, by pushing other children off it

  2. informal a person who is in a commanding or superior position

"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

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

The final of the celebrity edition of the show was the UK's most-watched TV event of 2025, with about 15 million people tuning in to see traitorous comic Alan Carr become king of the castle.

From BBC Jan. 26, 2026

He beat fellow finalists actor Simon Gregson and singer Frankie Bridge to be crowned the king of the castle.

From BBC Dec. 12, 2021

Gary King is a fascinating mess, the guy "who was the king of the castle when he was 18 and now refuses to leave".

From The Guardian Jul. 13, 2013

On fatherhood: "I figured I'll be the king of the castle: I'll make people, and rule them."

From Seattle Times Jun. 13, 2011

His pride in his work spilled over into our home, where he was clearly the king of the castle, even if the castle was just a modest apartment.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

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