has-been
Americannoun
-
has-beens
plural
noun
Usage
What does has-been mean? Has-been is a negative term for a person who is considered to have lost or to be far removed from the success, popularity, or skill that they once had. Has-been is used as an insult. It’s most often applied to famous people, such as athletes and actors—to be called a has-been, a person has to have been known for having an outstanding quality. Another insulting term based on has-been is never-was, which is intended to suggest that a person was never known for having any outstanding qualities. It’s typically used in conjunction with has-been to insult someone in an even worse way, as in You’re not even a has-been—you’re a never-was! Another less-common term formed in the same way is could-have-been, referring to a person who never became successful but could have. This can be an insult or a compliment, depending on how it’s used. Example: I don’t need advice from some has-been—I want to learn from someone who’s been able to stay in the game.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of has-been
First recorded in 1600–10
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.
See Examples For:
It's up to the player, manager, or has-been like myself to make a judgement call in the moment.
From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026
For those who think of late-career Elvis Presley as only a plump has-been, a gaudy Las Vegas crooner slinging schlock in the 1970s, Baz Luhrmann’s new movie is a bracing corrective.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
He’s invited her to coffee not as father and daughter, but as a has-been angling to cast Nora as the lead of his next film, which he claims he’s written for her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025
Among other things, he has called you a fraudster and a failed political has-been, but you’re not responding in kind.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2025
“I mean, I might not even be at Hogwarts next year, what’s it matter to me if some fat old has-been likes me or not?”
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
What consequential life experiences have I missed, taunting my eyeballs, indulging this social media imp turned experimental pugilist as he bumbles around the ring with has-beens and never-weres?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
Leading into Perth, Stokes called the former players who had criticised England's low-key build up as "has-beens" -- and that came back to bite him.
From Barron's ● Nov. 23, 2025
England captain Ben Stokes must "respect" the views of former players says ex-skipper Michael Vaughan, after Stokes described some of his critics as "has-beens".
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2025
In perhaps the saddest post of the day, a user named Saga mocked up a fantasy poster for the event that featured a murderers’ row of has-beens like Papa Roach, Nickelback, Staind and, yep, Creed.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2025
You’d find the high school phenoms running circles around the overweight has-beens, guys who’d effortlessly played above-the-rim years ago now trying to catch their breath and salvage what was left of their once-stylish games.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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