one-hit wonder
Americannoun
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one-hit wonders
plural
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a person or group, especially a musical artist or band, known only for a single successful work, with their other work remaining largely unknown.
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a single successful work, especially a song, that is the only thing a person or group is known for.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
But publishing her first novel in 2023 — “This Bird Has Flown,” a charming bestseller about a one-hit wonder looking for a comeback — rejuvenated Hoffs’ devotion to songwriting.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
We’re all familiar with the concept of a one-hit wonder, but what about artists who hit it big a second time—and never again?
From Slate ● Jun. 29, 2026
No. 1 — for years afterward he operated at a lower public profile, tagged by some as a one-hit wonder.
From New York Times ● Jun. 18, 2024
However, what could have been the start of a boom for Asian artists turned out to be little more than a one-hit wonder.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2024
Critics deemed the rapper a one-hit wonder but her ability to home in on cultural moments with her catchy, female-centered rap shows us that Ice Spice is here to stay.
From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2023
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.
