headliner

noun

head·​lin·​er ˈhed-ˌlī-nər 

1

: the principal performer in a show : star

broadly : personality sense 4b

2

: fabric covering the inside of the roof of an automobile

Synonyms of headliner

• star
• principal

Examples of headliner in a Sentence

He was the headliner at a local night club.

a headliner on variety shows in the early days of TV

Recent Examples on the Web

Prior to this major moment, Bieber drew attention as a headliner at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 19 July 2026

Ahead of the World Cup’s first-ever halftime show and the start of the game, a pregame ceremony was held featuring headliner Post Malone. — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2026

To set up the on-field stage for the co-headliners of Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS, the midmatch break could last around 25 minutes, according to Reuters. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 18 July 2026

The headliners—Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and BTS—all hail from different countries. — Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for headliner

• airliner
• combiner
• designer
• diviner
• eyeliner
• pulvinar
• recliner
• refiner
• diner
• finer
• liner
• miner