big fish
Important person informally
A big fish is an important or influential person, especially within a particular sphere: He's a big fish in local politics.
The phrase often appears in the expression big fish in a small pond, describing someone prominent only because of their limited environment.
In law enforcement contexts, a big fish is a major target—a crime boss rather than a low-level dealer: The prosecutors wanted to catch the bigger fish.
Influential industry leader
- tycoonDominant industrial leader
- magnateWealthy business leader
- kingpinCriminal organization's leader
- heavyweightHighest combat weight class
powerhouse · baron · bigwig · bigshot · hotshot · mover · shaker · rainmaker
Huge sea mammal
- sharkCartilaginous marine predator
- marlinSpear-snouted game fish
- tunaLarge edible ocean fish
- swordfishFish with blade-like bill
grouper · tarpon · barracuda · manta · sailfish · sturgeon · halibut · coelacanth
Gifted youth with rare talent
- championTop competitor, or advocate
- winnerOne who prevails
- starLuminous astronomical object
- standoutExceptional person or thing
success story · rising star · breakthrough · wunderkind · phenom · overachiever · high achiever · top performer
Political influence wielder
- powerbrokerWielder of political influence
- puppeteerPerformer controlling jointed figures
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
- consigliereMafia boss's trusted counselor
patron · backer · financier · fixer · lobbyist · mentor · adviser · strategist
Of this area
- regionalRelating to an area
- nicheRecessed wall space
- community leaderOne who guides locals
- local celebrityRegionally recognized figure
mogul
Influential industry leader
heavyweight · powerhouse · baron · bigwig · bigshot · hotshot · mover · shaker · rainmaker · dealmaker
whale
Huge sea mammal
swordfish · grouper · tarpon · barracuda · manta · sailfish · sturgeon · halibut · coelacanth · catch
prodigy
Gifted youth with rare talent
standout · success story · rising star · breakthrough · wunderkind · phenom · overachiever · high achiever · top performer · golden child
kingmaker
Political influence wielder
- powerbrokerWielder of political influence
- puppeteerPerformer controlling jointed figures
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
consigliere · patron · backer · financier · fixer · lobbyist · mentor · adviser · strategist · oligarch
local
Of this area
- regionalRelating to an area
- nicheRecessed wall space
- community leaderOne who guides locals
local celebrity · village elder · provincial · backwater · outsized
- fishing loretall tale, tall tales, the one that got away, whopper, exaggeration
- bigwigsbigwig, VIP, heavy hitter, top dog, honcho
- fishing idiomshook line and sinker, the one that got away, cast a wide net, take the bait, reel in
- reputationreputation, reputable, bad reputation, repute, disreputable
- sea jokesholy mackerel, off the hook, catch of the day, red herring, small fry
- dartsdart, darts, dartboard, bullseye, treble
big fishnobody
Inconsequential person
nonentity · small fry · minnow · nobody special · nothing
big fishsmall fry
Children or insignificant people
minnow · shrimp · small fish · guppy · tadpole
big fishunderling
Person of lower rank
subordinate · inferior · bottom-feeder · grunt · peon
big, fish, fishing, fisherman, bigger, biggest, bigly, fishes, fished