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

See Examples For:

status symbol

“I don’t have a pair, so I’m not important enough,” Mato confessed, seeming to confirm that Florsheims have become something of a status symbol inside the administration.

From Slate ● Jun. 5, 2026

They are part stress ball, part status symbol.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 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

My car wasn't a top-of-the range status symbol.

From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2026

Many white slaveholders, especially in Virginia’s upper-class homes, considered mixed-race people a sort of status symbol, just as some people today think of a flashy car or an expensive new smartphone.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis