Did you know?
The original meaning of iconic was essentially "resembling an icon," but today it often describes what is so admired that it could be the subject of an icon. And with that use, iconic has become part of the language of advertising and publicity: companies and magazines and TV hosts encourage us to think of some consumer item or pop star or show as first-rate or immortal or flawless—absolutely "iconic"—when that person or thing is actually simply widely known and—they assert—distinctively excellent.
Examples of iconic in a Sentence
Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 21 Nov. 2023
The roast is their rebuttal to Norman Rockwell’s iconic Thanksgiving turkey, with its own cachet and fame.
—Lee Powell, Washington Post, 21 Nov. 2023
John and Cynthia Lennon acquired their large rustic house in Kenwood, England, for just £20,000 in July 1964, the same summer the Beatles dropped their iconic third studio album, A Hard Day’s Night.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2023
After the performance, a spellbinding light show transformed the iconic New York City building into a canvas of vivid colors.
—Maia Torres, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
Burberry's wool scarves are iconic, and this cape is a stylish — and warmer — take on them.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 20 Nov. 2023
When Taylor Swift finally took the Eras Tour to Rio de Janeiro on Friday, fans — and even the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue — welcomed her with open arms.
—Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023
Though Keys’ iconic music is used throughout, Diaz and Blackstone don’t haphazardly sprinkle the tunes across two acts.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Nov. 2023
Not surprisingly, taking on Rabanne's most iconic signatures presented H&M’s creatives with one of their most complicated endeavors yet.
—Tina Isaac-Goizé, Vogue, 9 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'iconic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near iconic
Cite this Entry
“Iconic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconic. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
Copy Citation
More from Merriam-Webster on iconic
Nglish: Translation of iconic for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of iconic for Arabic Speakers
Share