cause célèbre

noun

ˌkȯz-sə-ˈleb How to pronounce cause célèbre (audio)
variants also cause celebre
Definition of cause célèbrenext
as in celebrity
a person who is widely known and usually much talked about a cause célèbre from some reality TV show whose fame hadn't even lasted the proverbial 15 minutes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cause célèbre Peters, who is 70 years old, is a cause celebre among those who insist the 2020 election was stolen. — Max Potter, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026 Peters' release has become a cause celebre in the election conspiracy movement. — CBS News, 15 Jan. 2026 Their case became a cause celebre and a polarizing one. — Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 10 Sep. 2025 Their fight became a cause celebre for the left, with powerful Democratic governors like California’s Gavin Newsom and Illinois’ JB Pritzker joining the cause and many cheering them on. — Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cause célèbre
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cause célèbre
  1. celebrity
  2. star
  3. name
  4. personality
  5. superstar
  6. hero
Noun
  • Taylor Swift has always had a group of celebrity friends, which has changed significantly over the years.
    — StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Sports stars, celebrities and business heavyweights could enter from an interior loading dock area to a blue carpet backstage, allowing access into the club without having to navigate the crowds.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of celebrity
Noun
  • FRBs are brief but intense blasts of radio waves currently thought to erupt from rapidly rotating dead stars with the universe's strongest magnetic fields, called magnetars.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The star wideout has responded with eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of star
Noun
  • Beers, a tight end with one of the most marketable names in college football, is on his way to becoming a fan favorite in Norman.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The oil refinery along the water gave the city its name — Standard Oil named its second refinery in the state El Segundo in 1911.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of name
Noun
  • As a talk-show host and media personality, her sometimes petulant, relentlessly flirtatious energy was a thrilling throwback to the likes of Rosie O’Donnell or Alan Carr’s chat shows.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • One aspect of Eloise’s personality that her parents and brother treasure the most is her connection with animals, from family pets to the deer and horses roaming on the ranch.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of personality
Noun
  • But no superstar name has scrambled around the world for the show.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Photograph by Anthony Pham The boy-band-heartthrob-to-solo-superstar pipeline is a familiar one in the pop pantheon, but few have worn it as well as the British singer Harry Styles.
    — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of superstar
Noun
  • Slovan Bratislava, managed by the former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, were hit for six in the French capital as Ferran Torres, Spain’s World Cup final hero, marked his Champions League debut for PSG with three goals.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Every hero’s journey requires major movement, and in 2000, Rosales boarded a plane bound for New York.
    — Myriam Gurba, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of hero

Browse Nearby Words

cause
cause célèbre
caused
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Cite this Entry

“Cause célèbre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cause%20c%C3%A9l%C3%A8bre. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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