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800-pound gorilla

idiom
Meaning

An entity that dominates its environment.


Origin

first recorded 20th c.

Attested since at least 1971, from a riddle: "Where does an 800-pound gorilla sleep?" / "Anywhere it wants."

Examples
SIMPLE

That company is the 800-pound gorilla in the tech industry.

CONTEXTUAL

Small shops struggle to compete because the local supermarket is an 800-pound gorilla that controls all the prices.

COMPLEX

Even with innovative new products, the startup found it nearly impossible to challenge the 800-pound gorilla that had dominated the market for decades.

Anchors to
Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    gorilla in the room

    A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.

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