rock star

noun

plural rock stars

1

: a famous rock musician

From my standpoint, from '72 to '76, I was the ultimate rock star. I couldn't have been more of a rock star. Anything that had to do with being a rock 'n' roll singer was what I was going for.

—David Bowie

He's what I always thought rock stars should be: sexy, dangerous, outrageous, and funny. And at least a little self-aware.

—Doug Brod

2

: a highly accomplished and well-regarded person in a particular field

Locals came streaming across a muddy construction site on the Cooper River to catch a glimpse of the rock star of politics.

—Howard Fineman

The Colchester Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education are the rock stars of our town's elected government.

—Jason Cohen

For the agency, whose mission is building soil health, Brandt [David Brandt, farmer] has emerged as a kind of rock star. He's a "step ahead of the game."

—Tom Philpott

Pale-faced and bespectacled, the 43-year-old Chudzinski is an emerging rock star in NFL coaching circles.

—David G Fleming

… the day of the celebrity chef is seriously upon us. Chefs have become the rock stars of their generation, and we all long to know them better.

—Ruth Reichl

Examples of rock star in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Zingler, now in his thirties and heavily tattooed, lives like a modern rock star, which isn’t far from the reality of his life online. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2025

The other guys could wash off their makeup and go back to real life, at least in theory, but Ace was all rock star, all the time. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025

Deliver Me from Nowhere, starring Jeremy Allen White as the rock star. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025

After 40 seasons coaching college ball, a career that spans from Alabama to Elon, Cignetti has reached rock star status. —Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rock star

• adar
• afar
• ajar
• alar
• ansar
• bazaar
• bizarre
• boxcar
• boyar
• bulbar
• cachar
• cigar