star turn
Americannoun
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the leading performer or act in a play, review, film, or the like.
-
a bravura performance by a featured player or act.
Etymology
Origin of star turn
First recorded in 1905–10
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.
Byrne’s star turn as an ambitious, tortured, caustically funny aerobics instructor on the 2021-23 Apple TV series “Physical” might be considered a precursor to her Oscar-nominated role.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2026
His star turn at Davos pushed his approval rating up to 60%, according to Canada’s Angus Reid Institute.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
Our critic praised the actress’s star turn, saying, she “gives a performance of extraordinary force, beauty and scorching truth.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 25, 2026
Hernández’s humility about the star turn has been noticed.
From Salon ● Dec. 28, 2025
His musical efflorescence was tragically brief, but this is the man who turned the chord-strumming, jobbing electric guitar into a high-wire, virtuoso lead instrument, from also-ran to star turn.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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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.