superstar
Americannoun
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a person, such as a performer or athlete, who enjoys wide recognition, is esteemed for exceptional talent, and is eagerly sought after for their services.
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any very prominent or successful person or thing.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of superstar
Explanation
A superstar is someone who's either very famous or extremely good at what they do. Legendary baseball player Babe Ruth was the first person called a superstar in print, around 1920. You might think of a superstar as a popular musician, like Taylor Swift, or maybe a famous actor or well-known athlete. It's true, Jackie Chan and LeBron James and Serena Williams all qualify as superstars, but if you're really good at what you do, you're a superstar too. If your brownies are the most delicious your family has ever tasted, you're a superstar baker.
Vocabulary lists containing superstar
Willie Mays (1931–2024) Tribute List
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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.
This year's entrant for San Marino, Senhit, has enlisted the help of Boy George, who will be lending vocals to her song Superstar.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
Superstar LeBron James nabbed another NBA record on Thursday, becoming at 41 the oldest player to record a triple-double as he propelled the Lakers to a 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
Superstar Jordan Stolz pulled him back to the rink.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
The ride was added to the park in 2006, replacing the ill-fated and disastrous Superstar Limo, a short-lived concept involving paparazzi and celebrities that lasted about a year.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025
Superstar lawyers and math whizzes and software entrepreneurs appear at first blush to lie outside ordinary experience.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
