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one-hit wonder

American  
[wuhn-hit wuhn-der] / ˈwʌnˌhɪt ˈwʌn dər /

noun

one-hit wonders plural
  1. a person or group, especially a musical artist or band, known only for a single successful work, with their other work remaining largely unknown.

  2. a single successful work, especially a song, that is the only thing a person or group is known for.


Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

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.

The following year, mere days before his 18th birthday, Cornejo proved that he was more than a one-hit wonder with the release of “Dañado.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 31, 2024

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

What gives exercise the edge is that it’s not a one-hit wonder.

From Slate • May 20, 2023

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