rock star

noun

plural rock stars

1

: a famous rock musician

From my standpoint, from '72 to '76, I was the ultimate rock star. I couldn't have been more of a rock star. Anything that had to do with being a rock 'n' roll singer was what I was going for.

—David Bowie

He's what I always thought rock stars should be: sexy, dangerous, outrageous, and funny. And at least a little self-aware.

—Doug Brod

2

: a highly accomplished and well-regarded person in a particular field

Locals came streaming across a muddy construction site on the Cooper River to catch a glimpse of the rock star of politics.

—Howard Fineman

The Colchester Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education are the rock stars of our town's elected government.

—Jason Cohen

For the agency, whose mission is building soil health, Brandt [David Brandt, farmer] has emerged as a kind of rock star. He's a "step ahead of the game."

—Tom Philpott

Pale-faced and bespectacled, the 43-year-old Chudzinski is an emerging rock star in NFL coaching circles.

—David G Fleming

… the day of the celebrity chef is seriously upon us. Chefs have become the rock stars of their generation, and we all long to know them better.

—Ruth Reichl

Examples of rock star in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It has been shepherded across generations, binding an expansive, wiggly community of artists, chemists, criminals, rock stars, researchers, and good ol’ fashioned heads. —John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025

The Emmy-winning series follows the quirky domestic lives of rock star Ozzy Osbourne, his wife Sharon and their children Jack and Kelly, along with their dogs. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2025

For the last three years, presidents, prime ministers, movie actors, rock stars and writers have traveled to Ukraine, seeking to show solidarity with a country under assault from its neighbor, Russia. —Mark Landler, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

President Trump signed an executive order on Monday aimed to crack down on ticket scalping and resale practices, alongside rock star Kid Rock. —Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rock star

• adar
• afar
• ajar
• alar
• ansar
• bazaar
• bizarre
• boxcar
• boyar
• bulbar
• cachar
• cigar