gold star
Americannoun
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a gold-colored star displayed, as on a service flag, to indicate that a member of one's family, organization, or the like, was killed in war as a member of the armed forces.
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Informal.
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symbolic approval or recognition for outstanding merit or effort.
You get the gold star for cooking such a gourmet dinner.
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anything that represents an outstanding effort or achievement.
Her promotion was the gold star she'd been working for.
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of gold star
An Americanism dating back to 1920–25
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.
After her editor sent 11 pages of feedback and issued a two-month deadline for an overhaul, Fortune forgave herself for not getting a gold star on her first draft.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
“Those two are going to help bring that gold star back, that people are going to want to play in L.A., people are going to see what the Sparks are going to be again.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2024
Like there’s some gold star we get for being frugal or sticking to a budget.
From Slate • Mar. 28, 2024
That was a difficult alarm to get up for but if you're here with us, gold star.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2024
The Christmas tree’s already up, next to the altar, full of tinsel and a shiny gold star on top.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
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.
