costar

1 of 2

noun

co·​star ˈkō-ˌstär 

variants or co-star

plural costars or co-stars

: one of two or more main performers who star in a movie, play, etc.

… the star seems more relaxed and confident, and there's a bracing snap to the byplay between him and his costars.

—Mark Harris

costar

2 of 2

verb

variants or co-star

costarred or co-starred; costarring or co-starring

1

transitive : to employ or present (someone) as one of two or more leading performers in a movie, play, etc.

Directed by Lasse Hallström … and costarring a fine ensemble …

—Leonora Langley

2

intransitive : to appear with another star in a movie, play, etc.

Examples of costar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After dodging several audience questions about an Office reboot during his opening monologue-turned-Q&A, Carell started getting peppered with resentful recriminations from his own former costars. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 29 May 2025

Jackman has been romantically linked to his former Music Man costar, Sutton Foster, 50, since January 2025, after the pair were snapped holding hands while stepping out for dinner in Santa Monica, Calif. —Becca Longmire, People.com, 29 May 2025

Verb

The film costars Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Carmen Ejogo and Stanley Tucci. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 May 2025

Jenna Ortega costars as an obsessed fan in co-writer/director Trey Edwards Shults' lackluster drama. —Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 15 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1888, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 2