Meanings
plural big enchiladas
- slangA very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.
The detectives were trying to identify the big enchilada who controlled the entire criminal network.
Synonyms: big man, big cheese, big kahuna, bigwig, baron, big cheese, big gun, big kahuna
- slangSome item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.
When the lottery results were announced, he was stunned to learn that the big enchilada was all his.
Synonyms: brass ring
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA very important person, especially the highest-ranking individual in an organization.
nounSome item of high value, especially a top prize or reward.
More synonyms by meaning
nounan important influential person
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Cite this entry
big enchilada. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20enchilada
“big enchilada.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20enchilada. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “big enchilada,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/big%20enchilada.
Source: big enchilada on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.