showstopper

noun

show·​stop·​per ˈshō-ˌstä-pər 

1

: an act, song, or performer that wins applause so prolonged as to interrupt a performance

2

: something or someone exceptionally arresting or attractive

the gold crown was the showstopper of the exhibition

3

: one that stops or could stop the progress, operation, or functioning of something

showstopping

ˈshō-ˌstä-piŋ 

adjective

Synonyms

• doll
• looker
• lovely
• beauty
• eyeful
• babe [slang]
• dish
• ten
• dreamboat [slang]

Examples of showstopper in a Sentence

at the modeling agency everyone was a showstopper

Recent Examples on the Web

Relying on outdated tools and processes and not providing timely education will be a showstopper. —Dr. Jonathan Reichental, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025

Step inside and the foyer is a showstopper. —Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025

Samsung’s 65-Inch The Terrace is a backyard showstopper, built to shine in direct sunlight and shrug off rain or dust, now $1500 off. —Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2025

Nebraska’s prairies and parks are known for their vibrant wildflowers like prairie clover, goldenrods, and asters—but sunflowers are the real showstoppers in the fall. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for showstopper

• eavesdropper
• grasshopper
• improper
• leafhopper
• sharecropper
• chopper
• copper
• cropper
• dropper
• pauper
• popper
• proper