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Synonyms

big business

American  

noun

  1. large business, commercial, and financial firms taken collectively, especially when considered as a group having shared attitudes and goals and exercising control over economic policy, politics, etc.

  2. any large organization of a noncommercial nature resembling this.

  3. any large business enterprise.


big business British  

noun

  1. large commercial organizations collectively, esp when considered as exploitative or socially harmful

"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 business Cultural  
  1. Large corporations, as opposed to small individually or family-owned businesses.


Etymology

Origin of big business

An Americanism dating back to 1900–05

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.

See Examples For:

The scheme has the backing of some big business names, including investment giant BlackRock, which said about 40% of Americans have no exposure to financial markets.

From BBC Jul. 11, 2026

Remakes are big business in the gaming industry - something gaming expert Christopher Dring said can come down to "financial necessity".

From BBC Jul. 11, 2026

America’s top brewers see big business in small beers.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 2, 2026

Sports are big business for prediction markets, and soccer is the number-one sport outside of the U.S.

From Barron's Jun. 11, 2026

“Himself not especially susceptible to flattery except in a sentimental way, he soon learned its efficacy when plastered thick on big business men,” Sullivan wrote.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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