showstopper

noun

show·​stop·​per ˈshō-ˌstä-pər How to pronounce showstopper (audio)
Synonyms of showstoppernext
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
showstopping adjective

Examples of showstopper in a Sentence

at the modeling agency everyone was a showstopper
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Au contraire, Roland Garros is the perfect place to model a showstopper. Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 Ando made his masterpiece — a shimmery showstopper draped with soft pink fabric —as part of the organization's Prom2Go pop-up event, which provides free dresses and accessories to inner-city students. Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 26 May 2026 The showstopper retails for $990,000. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 May 2026 And the awe goes beyond the main showstoppers. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for showstopper

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of showstopper was in 1916

Cite this Entry

“Showstopper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/showstopper. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.

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