public figure

noun

: a well-known person

Examples of public figure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At an Austin screening of Scream, Lillard was asked about the difficulty of speaking out about political issues as a public figure. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026

But the build-up fits with the Charlie Kirk memes that have populated social media over the past year, ones that show how a public figure's image can spiral out of control when their likeness is hijacked by online humor. — Owen Carry, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Fashion, after all, has the power to augment the public’s perception of a public figure. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 9 Sep. 2026

No one was surprised when she was ranked the most popular public figure in April, with a net favorability of plus 65, 51 points ahead of her closest competitor, former president Barack Obama. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 8 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for public figure

• reconfigure
• configure
• disfigure
• prefigure

Legal Definition

public figure

noun

public fig·​ure

: an individual or entity that has acquired fame or notoriety or has participated in a particular public controversy see also limited purpose public figure compare public official

Note: A public figure must prove actual malice in order to prevail in a defamation action.