# big gun

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/big-gun
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A person, group, thing, or course of action that is powerful, influential, or particularly effective.

## Examples

- We need to call in the big guns to finish this project.
- The company brought in the big guns from the legal department to handle the difficult contract negotiations.
- Recognizing that the local team lacked the necessary influence, the board sent in the big guns to sway the final vote.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.