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
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Multi-function utility knives are one of the most famous and iconic Swiss products, but these are better looking and better quality than the widely available mass-market brands.
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Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
But one of the most iconic depictions of the Revolution, Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware, was actually painted much later, in 1851.
—Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 July 2025
The 25 kilos of drugs were wrapped in packaging featuring the iconic gun-brandishing cartoon character, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post, which included images of the cocaine.
—July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
Launching in three parts over the month of July is the second and final season of The Sandman, the fantasy series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s iconic graphic novels.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025
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Larry Olmsted, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
But one of the most iconic depictions of the Revolution, Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware, was actually painted much later, in 1851.
—Karin Wulf, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 July 2025
The 25 kilos of drugs were wrapped in packaging featuring the iconic gun-brandishing cartoon character, the Walton County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post, which included images of the cocaine.
—July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
Launching in three parts over the month of July is the second and final season of The Sandman, the fantasy series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s iconic graphic novels.
—Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for iconic
Cite this Entry
“Iconic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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