status symbol

American  

noun

1. an object, habit, etc., by which the social or economic status of the possessor may be judged.

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status symbol British  

noun

1. a possession which is regarded as proof of the owner's social position, wealth, prestige, etc

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status symbol Idioms  

1. A position or activity that allows one's social prestige to be displayed, as in She doesn't even drive; that car of hers is purely a status symbol. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

Maybe the youths’ next analog status symbol could be a cathode-ray tube.

From Slate • May 3, 2026

For Counterpoint analyst Yang Wang, the iPhone is the most successful consumer electronics product ever, reshaping human communication while becoming "a global fashion and status symbol."

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

It is a status symbol, rite of passage and phantom limb wrapped into one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

A viral video claims the $130 Costco executive membership is the new VIP status symbol — but is the rewards program actually worth the price?

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

I certainly wasn’t seeking any degree, the way a college confers a status symbol upon its students.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey