How to Use kingpin in a Sentence

kingpin

noun
  • The kingpin in our back yard is Maduro and Venezuela.
    — NBC news, 21 Dec. 2025
  • Schwartzman seems to be having fun with his would-be mob kingpin role.
    — oregonlive, 22 Sep. 2020
  • But this might be the only one that was kept up to the kingpin's standards.
    — Jenna Milliner-Waddell, ELLE Decor, 25 July 2017
  • Graver wants to abduct the kingpin’s daughter to trigger a gang war.
    — Fortune, 1 July 2018
  • An image of the event showed the kingpin posing in front of what appears to be a birthday cake.
    — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2024
  • But none have the mystery or style of staying in a former drug kingpin’s private jet.
    — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2025
  • And the Chicago cop doubling as a kingpin for a drug-dealing street gang.
    — Mary Schmich, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2020
  • With her cover blown, the boxer grows more resolute in her search and tries to find the kingpin.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Feb. 2022
  • Flores’ lawyer argued that Flores was not the kingpin of the ring.
    — Joe Marusak, charlotteobserver, 5 Sep. 2017
  • The story goes that when the kingpins were captured, there was a battle for turf and supply routes.
    — Rachel Nolan, Harper's Magazine, 9 June 2023
  • So how about De Niro playing not one but two Mafia kingpins in the same movie?
    — Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Usual kingpin Duke missed the field for the first time sine 1995.
    — Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2021
  • In all, the district kingpins banged out 12 hits in the four-inning contest.
    — Rick Menning, sun-sentinel.com, 3 July 2019
  • Rue eventually sours on her gig with Laurie and opts to jump ship for a new kingpin.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 12 Apr. 2026
  • That was a favor to Kyle, whom Nayeri painted as a pot kingpin.
    — Tim Dickinson, Rolling Stone, 17 Dec. 2022
  • As the years have passed since the drug kingpin was taken out, most of those critters ended up in zoos, save for four wild hippos.
    — Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 25 Mar. 2020
  • Fentanyl kingpin pleads guilty to flooding the United States with killer drug.
    — Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Rodriguez, a drug kingpin who zipped around town in a white Jaguar, was anxious to be respected as a tough guy.
    — Beth Warren, The Courier-Journal, 17 Aug. 2023
  • The scene ends with a bloody mess, as Jules rebukes Brett for his attempts to double-cross the kingpin.
    — Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2024
  • The local kingpin who allegedly ordered them to kill Thomas?
    — Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The drug kingpin was sentenced to life in prison in the United States in July.
    — Fox News, 18 Oct. 2019
  • This is the practical problem with the approach known as the kingpin strategy.
    — Dallas Morning News, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Not everyone can relate to being part of a drug kingpin family.
    — Giana Levy, Variety, 16 Aug. 2025
  • At the same time, Reis was also leading rave-up kingpins Rocket from the Crypt.
    — Greg Kot, chicagotribune.com, 8 Mar. 2018
  • Fez, Rue and Ash end up at the house of an unlikely kingpin — a schoolteacher turned drug dealer.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Jan. 2022
  • That New York thing is, everyone's trying to be the biggest kingpin.
    — Sam Schube, GQ, 19 Feb. 2018
  • After all, what fun would Breaking Bad have been if Walt knew how to be a meth kingpin from the very first episode?
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 12 Jan. 2022
  • Colin Jost is going from anchorman to kingpin.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The notorious drug kingpin was sick, his kidneys failing.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
  • The drug kingpin’s killing also triggered violence.
    — Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kingpin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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