iconic

adjective icon·ic \ ī-ˈkä-nik \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

Definition of iconic

1 : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon

2 a : widely recognized and well-established

an iconic brand name

b : widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence

an iconic writer

a region's iconic wines

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iconically

play \ī-ˈkä-ni-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Recent Examples of iconic from the Web

President Donald Trump reportedly called Roseanne Barr to congratulate her on the premier of her iconic show's revival, according to multiple reports.

— leada gore, AL.com, "President Trump calls Roseanne Barr, offers congratulations on show's debut," 29 Mar. 2018
Those walking along London's South Bank on Monday morning could see the usual iconic riverside landmarks, from the Shard to St Paul's Cathedral.

— jennifer hassan, Washington Post, "84 statues appear on London roofs in a startling suicide-awareness campaign," 26 Mar. 2018
LeVar Burton, who was the iconic show's host and also starred on Star Trek, reads to audiences as part of the WBEZ Podcast Passport series.

— rachel yang, Chicago Reader, "Arts / Do This Cedric the Entertainer and more of the best things to do in Chicago this weekend," 23 Mar. 2018
The base for each design has been inspired by the mantra 'authenticity to progression', and all the strips have all been nicely inspired by kits from the past or iconic landmarks.

— SI.com, "PHOTOS: adidas Launch Tasty New Away Kits for Multiple Nations at This Summer's World Cup," 20 Mar. 2018
Police are investigating a fatal shooting that took place Saturday night on the west side, less than a block from one of the city's iconic landmarks, in an incident that appears to have left a second person critically wounded.

— robert king, Indianapolis Star, "Man shot and killed on city's west side," 17 Mar. 2018
Fast-food behemoth McDonald’s is temporarily flipping its iconic logo and switching its packaging in some U.S. locations — a move meant to celebrate International Women’s Day, the company says.

— caitlin dewey, BostonGlobe.com, "McDonald’s flipped its logo to ‘celebrate’ women. Then came the backlash," 8 Mar. 2018
Country Music fans should plan on seeing the iconic Budweiser logo often, as the company will be bringing its famous Bud Country Club to major country music events throughout the spring and summer.

— chuck dauphin, Billboard, "Sony Music Nashville Partnering With Budweiser at SXSW for Live Slate Including Elle King, Old Crow," 1 Mar. 2018
But instead of the iconic walking-man-in-a-top-hat logo, the Jane Walker Edition bottle will show a long-haired woman in knee-high riding boots strutting in the hat.

— lisa gutierrez, kansascity, "Jane Walker whisky strides in to draw women into Johnnie Walker's world | The Kansas City Star," 26 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'iconic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

The original meaning of iconic was essentially "resembling an icon", but today it more often seems to mean "so admired that it could be the subject of an icon". And with that meaning, iconic has become part of the language of advertising and publicity; today companies and magazines and TV hosts are constantly encouraging us to think of some consumer item or pop star or show as first-rate or immortal or flawless—absolutely "iconic"—when he or she or it is actually nothing of the kind.