variants
also cause celebre
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
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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 persecution became a cause celebre of the American Evangelical movement, which convinced President George W. Bush’s administration to help broker a peace agreement that led to independence 15 years ago.
—Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 15 Dec. 2025
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
But some residents complained they weren’t provided enough information about the project, which became a cause celebre for Republicans who led the way in stoking fears about the prospect of communist infiltration, given the Chinese ownership of the plant’s parent company.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
The idea has become a cause celebre in certain circles.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Ever since the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos outside the womb are considered children, the fertility treatment known as in vitro fertilization has become a political cause celebre.
—Tom Philp, The Mercury News, 5 Oct. 2024
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 persecution became a cause celebre of the American Evangelical movement, which convinced President George W. Bush’s administration to help broker a peace agreement that led to independence 15 years ago.
—Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 15 Dec. 2025
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
But some residents complained they weren’t provided enough information about the project, which became a cause celebre for Republicans who led the way in stoking fears about the prospect of communist infiltration, given the Chinese ownership of the plant’s parent company.
—Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
The idea has become a cause celebre in certain circles.
—Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
Ever since the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos outside the womb are considered children, the fertility treatment known as in vitro fertilization has become a political cause celebre.
—Tom Philp, The Mercury News, 5 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cause célèbre
Noun
-
But Savannah Guthrie's celebrity status has also garnered extensive resources from the federal and local government — including a $100,000 FBI reward for accurate information about her whereabouts or that could lead to an arrest and conviction of whoever took her.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The Berlin Film Festival and its celebrity attendees have been under scrutiny so far this week after jury president Wim Wenders, Golden Bear recipient Michelle Yeoh, and Sunny Dancer star Neil Patrick Harris all declined to talk about cinema’s relationship with politics and the rise of fascism.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
With his performance, the native Puerto Rican singer became the first Super Bowl act to perform almost entirely in Spanish (except for a guest appearance from pop star Lady Gaga).—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
At night in Havana, the stars are often clearly visible as most of the city is swathed in near total darkness.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Voting rights advocates have raised concerns that the bill could make voting more difficult for people who have changed their legal name.—
Josh Kelly,
Oklahoman,
16 Feb. 2026
-
And then to have a new president come along, slash funding to the arts, defund the National Endowment for the Arts among many other arts agencies, and then insist single-handedly to add his name to the memorial.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And many of the media companies have great monetization but don’t really have any of the big personalities and audiences was a really interesting point.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
With a solid base and a strong personality, these sandals are made for spring and summer travel.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The pop superstar’s involvement added another layer of buzz to a trio that was already generating significant excitement heading into their individual events.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Both of the Huskies’ superstars were named to the Naismith Trophy’s 30-player late-season team, marking the second national player of the year shortlist to feature the duo after both were named to the top 20 for the Wooden Award last week.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hume became one of modern atheism’s great intellectual heroes by rejecting this idea.—
Christopher Beha,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Above one entryway, a sword is lodged in the stone, said to have found its place there in the eighth century after being thrown more than 100 miles by Roland, the hero of the medieval chanson that bears his name.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cause célèbre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cause%20c%C3%A9l%C3%A8bre. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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