big fish: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2informal, idiomatic
Quick answer
What does “big fish” mean?
A person of high status, great importance, or significant power within a specific context or organization.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person of high status, great importance, or significant power within a specific context or organization.
Can refer to a major target in a police investigation, a key competitor in business, or a primary prize in any competitive situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slight preference in UK for 'big noise' in similar contexts. The idiom is equally understood and used in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, can imply the subject is a target or figure of envy. In American legal/police drama, 'big fish' is particularly clichéd.
Frequency
High frequency in informal business and media contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “big fish” in a Sentence
[be] a big fish[be] a big fish in a small pond[catch] a big fish[target] the big fishVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “big fish” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The detectives hoped to big-fish the gang leader.
American English
- The DA's office is trying to big-fish the corrupt mayor.
adjective
British English
- He had a classic big-fish-in-a-small-pond mentality.
American English
- It was a big-fish target for the new prosecutor.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a major client, competitor, or industry leader.
Academic
Used metaphorically to describe a leading scholar or theory within a niche field.
Everyday
Describes someone important in a local community or social group.
Technical
In law enforcement/military, denotes a high-value target (HVT).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “big fish”
- Using 'big fish' to describe a literal large fish in a formal context.
- Incorrect article use: 'He is big fish' instead of 'He is a big fish'.
- Overusing the idiom in formal writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be, but it's often neutral or slightly derogatory, implying the importance is relative or confined to a small arena.
Yes, especially in business contexts (e.g., 'Google is a big fish in the tech industry').
'Small fry' is the most common opposite, meaning an unimportant person or thing.
It is informal and could be seen as disrespectful in very formal situations, but it is not generally offensive.
A person of high status, great importance, or significant power within a specific context or organization.
Big fish is usually informal, idiomatic in register.
Big fish: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbɪɡ ˈfɪʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbɪɡ ˈfɪʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a big fish in a small pond”
- “catch a big fish”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a large, solitary fish in a small aquarium - it stands out and dominates the space, just like a 'big fish' dominates their smaller environment.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS AN AQUARIUM / HIERARCHY IS A FOOD CHAIN.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'a big fish in a small pond'?