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
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But her list kept growing in the Eighties, when Hoffs suddenly blew up into a wildly famous rock star. Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026 Damon Herriman plays a cult leader in the image of David Koresh, complete with aviator glasses and rock star dreams. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 As a rock star, Chrissie Hynde has always been a bit of a paradox — gnarly but cerebral, ferocious yet guarded. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 Two television specials aired in 1987 that detailed Barbie’s adventures as a rock star in space (yes, that is really the premise). Parents, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rock star

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rock star was in 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Rock star.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rock%20star. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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