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Synonyms

Big Ben

American  

noun

  1. the bell in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament in London, England.

Big Ben British  

noun

  1. the bell in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, London

  2. the clock in this tower

  3. the tower

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Big Ben Cultural  

  1. The popular name for the huge clock mounted in a tower near the meeting place of the British Parliament in London. Big Ben strikes the quarter-hour with the familiar Westminster chimes.

Etymology

Origin of Big Ben

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Two weeks before the show, young seamstresses were crocheting floral motifs in mohair and Japanese metallic thread at a south London studio overlooking the Thames river and Big Ben.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

According to plans, the procession will start in Parliament Square and a recitation of Winston Churchill's famous VE Day speech will be read when Big Ben strikes 12:00 BST.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2025

The mostly flat route takes in several other London landmarks, including Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Big Ben.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2025

The Balmoral is the second most famous clock in the UK after Big Ben.

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2024

Big Ben seemed to be endlessly toppling forward against the restless sky.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.