Theater. a performer, performance, or musical number that wins enthusiastic or prolonged applause.
The singer proves that she is simply a show-stopper after her resoundingly successful debut.
a spectacularly arresting or appealing person or thing.
This bright plaid suit is a real show-stopper.
a significant obstacle or problem, especially one halting a process already underway.
The bug was a show-stopper, delaying the game's release by months.
First recorded in 1945–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The voluminous dress, in two tones of new and aged copper, was a show-stopper that Lively unfurled to ascend the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s iconic stairs at the high-fashion affair.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
Per the drink's description label, with its "sunset hue, fresh sun-ripened peach flavor and vibrant, sparkling finish," Giambellino Peach Bellini is a guaranteed show-stopper at any brunch or similar social gathering.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2022
It was also nothing if not a show-stopper, with Sandén and her tiny back-up singers framed by majestic boats, and fireworks lighting up the skies in the song’s final moments.
From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2021
Shelley King, who plays Yasmeen, was named the best show-stopper of the year, for the scene where her character suddenly finds the courage to fight back against Geoff.
From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2020
Befitting the impresario, the property is a big, modern show-stopper, from its lush green driveway off Sunset Boulevard to its 6,500 square feet of meeting and event space.
From New York Times ● Feb. 22, 2020
While stumbling over the lyrics to “Matchmaker,” “Fiddler” cast members suddenly appeared on stage, performing the song with him; they closed down the number with a rousing rendition of the show stopper “Tradition.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Overall, this pom-pom case is a show stopper.
From The Verge ● Oct. 9, 2017
He turned into the show stopper in the second, leaving Notre Dame defenders flailing as he raced past them for a 47-yard score.
From US News ● Jan. 1, 2016
"There is no show stopper as far as we can see."
From New York Times ● Jul. 13, 2012
She tried her health-conscious version of the classical Chinese dish, and ended up with something that is clearly a show stopper.
From The Perdue Chicken Cookbook by Perdue, Mitzi
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.
