superstar

noun

su·​per·​star ˈsü-pər-ˌstär 

1

: a star (as in sports or the movies) who is considered extremely talented, has great public appeal, and can usually command a high salary

But last year, when people started posting hits from superstars like Madonna and Puff Daddy on the Web, where anyone could download them for free, the record companies went ballistic.

—N'Gai Croal et al.

The notion that superstars are protected by NBA refs is neither a new nor a particularly farfetched one.

—Jack McCallum

2

: one that is very prominent or is a prime attraction

From Wolfgang Puck to Alice Waters, America's leading chefs have become superstars.

—Marian Burros

With that the judge sentenced the one time superstar investor to three years in prison for his role in the largest insider-trading scandal in history.

—Time Magazine

Chardonnay is the superstar among white-wine grapes …

—Barbara Ensrud

superstardom

ˈsü-pər-ˌstär-dəm 

noun

Synonyms

• cause célèbre
• cause celebre
• celeb
• celebrity
• figure
• icon
• ikon
• light
• luminary
• megastar
• name
• notability
• notable
• notoriety
• personage
• personality
• somebody
• standout
• star
• VIP

Examples of superstar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During Sunday’s game, Ohtani was seen in the dugout laughing with Roberts, an exchange that ended with the manager giving the superstar a playful shove. —Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024

The K-pop superstars and United Nations Children Fund announced the #OnMyMind initiative on Monday (April 22), the second chapter of their Love Myself campaign. —Anna Chan, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

superstar

noun

su·​per·​star ˈsü-pər-ˌstär 

: a star (as in sports or the movies) who is considered extremely talented, has great public appeal, and can usually command a high salary

superstardom

-dəm 

noun