40 Idioms for Big: Speak with Impact and Power

Idioms are the spice of a language, adding flavor and color to our everyday conversations. They are phrases where the meaning isn’t obvious from the individual words, yet they communicate ideas with incredible efficiency. Think of them as cultural shorthand, allowing us to express complex feelings, abstract concepts, and nuanced situations in a way that is both relatable and vivid.

Exploring idioms, especially those that use a simple but powerful word like “big,” can unlock a deeper understanding of the world. These expressions can inspire us to think more profoundly about scale, importance, and emotion, bringing clarity to experiences that might otherwise be hard to put into words and helping us connect with the heart of a message.

Big things often come with a sense of awe or admiration. If you want to describe something impressive or trendy, check out these idioms for cool that go hand in hand with greatness.

Table of Contents

Idioms for Big

1. A big heart / Big-hearted

Meaning: To be very kind, generous, and caring.
Use in a sentence: She has a big heart and spends her weekends volunteering at the animal shelter.
Other ways to say it: Kind-hearted; generous to a fault; charitable.

2. The big picture

Meaning: The overall perspective or view of a situation, rather than the small details.
Use in a sentence: Stop worrying about the minor setbacks and focus on the big picture.
Other ways to say it: The grand scheme of things; the overall view; the long-term perspective.

3. A big shot

Meaning: An important or influential person.
Use in a sentence: He thinks he’s a big shot now that he’s been promoted to vice president.
Other ways to say it: A big wheel; a VIP; a major player.

4. A big deal

Meaning: Something of great importance or significance.
Use in a sentence: Winning the scholarship was a big deal for him and his family.
Other ways to say it: A major event; a significant matter; something to write home about.

5. A big fish in a small pond

Meaning: An important person within a small and unimportant community or group.
Use in a sentence: In his small town, he was a big fish in a small pond, but in the city, he was just another face in the crowd.
Other ways to say it: A local hero; a king in a small castle.

6. To have bigger fish to fry

Meaning: To have more important things to do.
Use in a sentence: I can’t worry about that minor issue right now; I have bigger fish to fry.
Other ways to say it: To have more pressing matters; to have other priorities.

7. To make it big

Meaning: To become very successful or famous.
Use in a sentence: She moved to Hollywood with dreams of making it big as an actress.
Other ways to say it: To achieve great success; to hit the big time; to become a star.

8. To talk big

Meaning: To boast or brag about one’s abilities or accomplishments.
Use in a sentence: He likes to talk big, but he rarely follows through on his promises.
Other ways to say it: To boast; to brag; to be full of hot air.

9. A big mouth

Meaning: A person who talks too much and is unable to keep secrets.
Use in a sentence: Don’t tell Sarah the surprise; she has a big mouth and will ruin it for everyone.
Other ways to say it: A gossip; a blabbermouth; loose-lipped.

10. In a big way

Meaning: To a great extent; significantly.
Use in a sentence: The new marketing campaign paid off in a big way, with sales doubling overnight.
Other ways to say it: To a large degree; considerably; significantly.

11. A big ask

Meaning: A request that is difficult or demanding.
Use in a sentence: I know it’s a big ask, but could you possibly help me move this weekend?
Other ways to say it: A tall order; a major request.

12. To go over big

Meaning: To be very successful or popular with an audience.
Use in a sentence: The comedian’s new routine is sure to go over big with the crowd.
Other ways to say it: To be a hit; to be well-received; to bring the house down.

13. Big-headed

Meaning: To be arrogant or conceited.
Use in a sentence: Ever since he won that award, he’s become so big-headed and difficult to talk to.
Other ways to say it: Arrogant; egotistical; full of oneself.

14. Big words

Meaning: Long or complex words used to sound intelligent.
Use in a sentence: He tried to impress the panel by using a lot of big words, but he didn’t really know what they meant.
Other ways to say it: Jargon; pretentious language; ten-dollar words.

15. To think big

Meaning: To be ambitious and set high goals.
Use in a sentence: If you want to succeed in this industry, you have to think big and take risks.
Other ways to say it: To aim high; to be ambitious; to dream big.

16. The next big thing

Meaning: The person, idea, or product that is expected to be very popular or successful in the near future.
Use in a sentence: Critics are calling the young singer the next big thing in pop music.
Other ways to say it: A rising star; an up-and-coming trend.

17. Big brother is watching you

Meaning: A warning that the government or an authority figure is monitoring people’s actions.
Use in a sentence: With all the surveillance cameras in the city, it feels like big brother is watching you.
Other ways to say it: Under surveillance; being monitored.

18. To have a big hand in something

Meaning: To be largely responsible for or influential in an outcome.
Use in a sentence: The team captain had a big hand in their victory.
Other ways to say it: To play a major role; to be a key contributor.

19. Big cheese

Meaning: An informal term for an important, influential person in an organization.
Use in a sentence: I have a meeting with the big cheese of the company tomorrow.
Other ways to say it: The boss; the head honcho; the top dog.

20. No big deal / No biggie

Meaning: Not important; not a problem.
Use in a sentence: It’s no big deal if you’re a little late; we can wait.
Other ways to say it: No problem; don’t worry about it; it’s nothing.

21. Big picture thinking

Meaning: The ability to see the overall situation and not get lost in the details.
Use in a sentence: A successful CEO needs big picture thinking to guide the company’s strategy.
Other ways to say it: Strategic thinking; foresight; having a broad perspective.

22. To hit the big time

Meaning: To achieve major success or fame.
Use in a sentence: The small band finally hit the big time after their song went viral.
Other ways to say it: To make it big; to become famous.

23. Big shoes to fill

Meaning: A difficult role or position to take over from a successful predecessor.
Use in a sentence: The new manager has big shoes to fill after the retirement of the beloved former boss.
Other ways to say it: A tough act to follow; a high standard to meet.

24. To be big on something

Meaning: To like or be very enthusiastic about something.
Use in a sentence: My brother is really big on classic rock music.
Other ways to say it: To be a huge fan of; to be really into something.

25. Big of you

Meaning: A sarcastic way of saying someone’s action was not very generous or impressive.
Use in a sentence: Oh, you’ll pay for my coffee after I bought you dinner? That’s big of you.
Other ways to say it: How generous (sarcastically); that’s not very impressive.

26. To be in big trouble

Meaning: To be in a very difficult or serious situation.
Use in a sentence: You are going to be in big trouble if you don’t finish your homework.
Other ways to say it: To be in hot water; to be up the creek without a paddle.

27. To have a heart as big as a whale

Meaning: To be exceptionally kind and generous.
Use in a sentence: My grandmother has a heart as big as a whale; she’d help anyone in need.
Other ways to say it: To have a heart of gold; to be extremely generous.

28. To win big

Meaning: To achieve a major success or win a large amount of money.
Use in a sentence: She took a chance on the lottery and ended up winning big.
Other ways to say it: To strike it rich; to have a resounding victory.

29. To dream big

Meaning: To have ambitious goals and aspirations.
Use in a sentence: Her parents always encouraged her to dream big and never limit her potential.
Other ways to say it: To aim for the stars; to have high aspirations.

30. The big sleep

Meaning: A euphemism for death.
Use in a sentence: The old detective knew he was getting ready for the big sleep.
Other ways to say it: To pass away; the final rest.

31. To make a big splash

Meaning: To attract a lot of attention in a dramatic or exciting way.
Use in a sentence: The company’s new product made a big splash at the tech conference.
Other ways to say it: To cause a stir; to get a lot of publicity.

32. Big man on campus

Meaning: A popular and influential male student at a school or university.
Use in a sentence: As the captain of the football team, he was the big man on campus.
Other ways to say it: A popular guy; a campus celebrity.

33. To owe someone big time

Meaning: To be very much in someone’s debt for a favor.
Use in a sentence: Thanks for helping me fix my car; I owe you big time.
Other ways to say it: I’m deeply indebted to you; I owe you one.

34. Big talk

Meaning: Boastful or empty promises.
Use in a sentence: That’s just big talk; I’ll believe it when I see it.
Other ways to say it: All talk and no action; empty words.

35. To live large / live big

Meaning: To live a luxurious and extravagant lifestyle.
Use in a sentence: After selling his company, he started living large, buying yachts and mansions.
Other ways to say it: To live the high life; to live in the lap of luxury.

36. To have a big ego

Meaning: To have an overly high opinion of oneself.
Use in a sentence: He has a big ego and can’t handle any form of criticism.
Other ways to say it: To be conceited; to be arrogant.

37. The big question

Meaning: The most important or ultimate question in a situation.
Use in a sentence: We’ve discussed the plan, but the big question is: can we afford it?
Other ways to say it: The million-dollar question; the crucial point.

38. Big business

Meaning: Large-scale commercial activity, often with significant economic and political influence.
Use in a sentence: The holiday season is big business for retail stores.
Other ways to say it: Major industry; large-scale commerce.

39. To have a big voice in something

Meaning: To have a lot of influence or say in a decision.
Use in a sentence: As a senior board member, she has a big voice in the company’s future.
Other ways to say it: To have a lot of sway; to be influential.

40. To go big or go home

Meaning: To put all of one’s effort into an enterprise; to be ambitious.
Use in a sentence: This is our last chance to win the competition, so it’s time to go big or go home.
Other ways to say it: To give it your all; to pull out all the stops.

Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise

Instructions: Complete each sentence with the most appropriate idiom from the list above.

He donates to charity every month and always helps his neighbors; he truly has a ________________________.
She quit her job in the small town because she was tired of being a ________________________ and wanted a new challenge.
Don’t tell him any secrets because he has a ________________________.
The new CEO has ________________________ because her predecessor was loved by everyone.
I can’t help you with your party planning right now, I have ________________________.
He likes to ________________________, but he never actually accomplishes anything.
The startup’s new app is being called ________________________ in the tech world.
For our final project, the professor told us to ________________________ and create something truly innovative.
He’s just an intern, but he acts like he’s the ________________________ of the company.
My daughter is ________________________ science fiction novels and reads one every week.
While the daily tasks are important, a good leader must always focus on ______ _______________________.
Thank you for driving me to the airport! I ________________________.
The movie’s premiere ________________________ with critics and audiences alike.
It’s our one shot to impress the investors, so we have to ________________________.
Don’t worry about spilling a little water; it’s ________________________.

Answer Key

big heart
big fish in a small pond
big mouth
big shoes to fill
bigger fish to fry
talk big
the next big thing
think big / dream big
big cheese / big shot
big on
the big picture
owe you big time
went over big
go big or go home
no big deal / no biggie

Conclusion

Embracing idioms is like learning the secret language of a culture. These “big” phrases show us how a single word can be used to convey scale, importance, generosity, and ambition. They provide shortcuts to complex ideas, making our speech more dynamic and our writing more compelling. Practicing these idioms does more than just expand your vocabulary; it sharpens your emotional intelligence.

By understanding these nuanced expressions, you become more adept at interpreting the true meaning behind people’s words, fostering better communication and a deeper connection to the world around you.