800-pound gorilla
Unstoppable market leader
An 800-pound gorilla is a person or organization so powerful that it can act without regard for others.
The metaphor suggests something too massive to ignore or oppose: Google is the 800-pound gorilla of search engines.
The phrase often implies that smaller players must work around the dominant force rather than challenge it directly.
Highest combat weight class
- titanDominant figure in field
- juggernautOverwhelming, crushing force
- powerhouseSource of great energy
- behemothCreature of immense size
monopoly · kingpin · frontrunner · alpha · colossus · leviathan · goliath · mogul
Informal power or punch
- pullForce toward oneself
- swayRock back and forth
- influencePower to affect others
- strangleholdOppressive, unbreakable control
Conveying threat or danger
- dauntingDiscouraging through difficulty
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- domineeringAggressively asserting control
bullying · heavy-handed · coercive · aggressive · steamrolling · strong-arming · overbearing · imposing
Impossible to avoid
- undeniableImpossible to contradict
- conspicuousClearly visible, attention-grabbing
- prominentEasily noticed or distinguished
- omnipresentExisting everywhere at once
ubiquitous · pervasive · glaring · unmissable · looming · ever-present · unignorable · overshadowing
heavyweight
Highest combat weight class
- titanDominant figure in field
- juggernautOverwhelming, crushing force
- powerhouseSource of great energy
behemoth · monopoly · kingpin · frontrunner · alpha · colossus · leviathan · goliath · mogul · overlord
clout
Informal power or punch
menacing
Conveying threat or danger
- dauntingDiscouraging through difficulty
- formidableInspiring fear or respect
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
domineering · bullying · heavy-handed · coercive · aggressive · steamrolling · strong-arming · overbearing · imposing · threatening
inescapable
Impossible to avoid
- undeniableImpossible to contradict
- conspicuousClearly visible, attention-grabbing
- prominentEasily noticed or distinguished
omnipresent · ubiquitous · pervasive · glaring · unmissable · looming · ever-present · unignorable · overshadowing · all-encompassing
800-pound gorillaunderdog
Presumed loser beforehand
small fry · little guy · weakling · lightweight · pushover
800-pound gorillasmall fry
Children or insignificant people
minnow · pipsqueak · small potatoes · bit player · startup
800-pound gorillaunderdog
Presumed loser beforehand
dark horse · long shot · David · upstart · challenger
pound, gorilla, pounds, pounded, pounding, pounder, gorillas