showstopper
noun
show·stop·per
ˈshō-ˌstä-pər 
1
: an act, song, or performer that wins applause so prolonged as to interrupt a performance
2
: something or someone exceptionally arresting or attractive
the gold crown was the showstopper of the exhibition
3
: one that stops or could stop the progress, operation, or functioning of something
Synonyms of showstopper
Examples of showstopper in a Sentence
at the modeling agency everyone was a showstopper
Recent Examples on the Web
The Charles Simonyi Space Gallery is located within Seattle's Museum of Flight, and the showstopper here is the NASA Full Fuselage Trainer—a full-size trainer mockup once used to prepare every shuttle astronaut for the rigors of space travel.
—
Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
The showstopper is the season’s best challenge.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Make way for Leo, the lion of the zodiac, and the showstoppers who call this fire sign their own.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
This is a showstopper apple pie, but don’t be intimidated.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for showstopper
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Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 8 Nov. 2025
The showstopper is the season’s best challenge.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025
Make way for Leo, the lion of the zodiac, and the showstoppers who call this fire sign their own.
—Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025
This is a showstopper apple pie, but don’t be intimidated.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for showstopper
Cite this Entry
“Showstopper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showstopper. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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