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

While the bizarre urge to chuck things at rock stars performing music onstage has been around since the advent of, well, rock stars and stages, it’s increasingly frowned upon and widely considered the ultimate concert faux pas. —Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026

Idol will perform a medley during the show as part of the honor, marking the rock star’s first time performing at the AMAs and his first time appearing at the award show since 2004. —Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026

Monday, May 18 Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sting, making his first Charlotte appearance since reuniting with The Police nearly two decades ago, remains one of the rare rock stars whose solo career carries nearly as much weight as his legendary band’s catalog. —Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 12 May 2026

Take a trip to the past when Shakespeare may have been treated like a rock star! —Courtney Cole, CBS News, 11 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rock star

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