one-man show

Idioms  

1. Also, one-man band. A person who does or manages just about everything, as in This department is a one-man show—the chairman runs it all, or John conducts the interviews, writes the articles, solicits ads, deals with the printer—he's a one-man band. This idiom alludes to the actor or artist responsible for the entire performance or exhibit, or the musician who plays every instrument in the group. [First half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

one-man show

But before the evening turned into a full-blown World Cup epic, it looked like a one-man show.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026

Yes, there is also Argentina, which faces tiny Cape Verde on Friday—though La Albiceleste’s campaign has largely been the Leo Messi one-man show.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

He will mark the second anniversary of his residency at North Hollywood’s El Portal Theatre Sunday by performing his one-man show “Unassisted Living.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2025

It’s a one-man show that I can say without hyperbole is the best work he ever did.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025

Someday Ml have a poetry reading and a one-man show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe on the Lower East Side.

From "Bronx Masquerade" by Nikki Grimes