1. the most important people in a group or organization, especially those who control illegal activities
Usage: informal
2. the most important or essential parts of something
3. vertical pins in bowling that are positioned at the front and back of the triangular arrangement
Usage: bowling

Examples

• The police arrested several kingpins of the drug trafficking operation.
• These two executives are the kingpins of the company’s expansion strategy.
• The investigation targeted the kingpins behind the money laundering scheme.
• Innovation and customer service are the kingpins of our business model.
• The bowler aimed carefully at the kingpins to maximize the strike potential.
• Without these kingpins, the entire project would collapse.