superstar
Americannoun
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a person, such as a performer or athlete, who enjoys wide recognition, is esteemed for exceptional talent, and is eagerly sought after for their services.
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any very prominent or successful person or thing.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of superstar
Explanation
A superstar is someone who's either very famous or extremely good at what they do. Legendary baseball player Babe Ruth was the first person called a superstar in print, around 1920. You might think of a superstar as a popular musician, like Taylor Swift, or maybe a famous actor or well-known athlete. It's true, Jackie Chan and LeBron James and Serena Williams all qualify as superstars, but if you're really good at what you do, you're a superstar too. If your brownies are the most delicious your family has ever tasted, you're a superstar baker.
Vocabulary lists containing superstar
Willie Mays (1931–2024) Tribute List
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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.
See Examples For:
LeBron James announced on Friday he will play for the Philadelphia 76ers next season, with the 41-year-old NBA superstar hoping to transform another franchise into a championship team.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
James has changed teams three times before, but the circumstances are far different than when he was a superstar in his prime reshaping the league by switching his zip code.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Only two players have announced they’re not going to the White House: superstar Mookie Betts and fan favorite Kiké Hernández.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
This rising superstar is more a 'if you don't know, get to know' athlete.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
“There goes our superstar, lumbering onto the stage with the grace of a baby elephant trying to walk for the first time.”
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Once paid like superstars and considered to be essential pieces of the bullpen, ninth-inning specialists are being replaced.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
They were superstars despite rarely throwing more than 20 pitches at a time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
While France's superstars dazzled on the pitch, the final is, however, remembered for pre-match hysteria surrounding the world's best player, Brazil striker Ronaldo.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
There are also sponsorship deals and paid appearances in play for established superstars and competitors with newfound fame alike.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
Whether Griswold’s famous friends thought the Fox sisters honest or not, their interest alone helped turn Maggie, Kate, and Leah into superstars.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
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.
