status symbol

American  

noun

1. an object, habit, etc., by which the social or economic status of the possessor may be judged.

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status symbol British  

noun

1. a possession which is regarded as proof of the owner's social position, wealth, prestige, etc

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status symbol Idioms  

1. A position or activity that allows one's social prestige to be displayed, as in She doesn't even drive; that car of hers is purely a status symbol. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

It has become somewhat of a status symbol amongst employees to be tokenmaxxing to prove that you’re going above and beyond to meet key performance indicators.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

When a high number of people admire a luxury company, even if they can’t afford to own its goods, it cements its value as a status symbol.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Maybe the youths’ next analog status symbol could be a cathode-ray tube.

From Slate • May 3, 2026

For Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang, the iPhone is the most successful consumer electronics product ever, reshaping human communication while becoming "a global fashion and status symbol."

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Why is this status symbol so important to rich people, anyway?

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins