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

Relevance

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
  • Goodtime, originally with celebrity backing from musician Pharrell Williams and entertainment mogul David Grutman, was auctioned off by lenders in a foreclosure action earlier this year.
    — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
  • Even during the match, cameramen and directors were obsessed with seeking out celebrities.
    — Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of celebrity
Noun
  • Blackwell is a 3-star prospect who committed to Clemson in May.
    — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 23 July 2026
  • Four decades after buying his first ring, Goodall remains the man trusted by boxing’s biggest promoters and biggest stars.
    — Chris McKenna, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of star
Noun
  • What schools said about name change Queens and Elon in September announced plans to merge that became official in June after the universities’ accrediting agency gave its blessing.
    — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
  • But for each team member’s limited time in front of the cameras, one name kept coming up again and again when asked who has impressed so far this offseason.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 23 July 2026
Definition of name
Noun
  • To produce the coverage, Telemundo deployed more than 80 on-air personalities representing every Latin American country in the tournament, generating over 700 hours of original programming across 39 days.
    — Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Ruled by the sun, this Fire sign has a big heart, a big personality… and sometimes an even bigger ego!
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
Definition of personality
Noun
  • In a World Cup dominated by superstars, Rodri arguably shone brighter than anyone else.
    — Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • Donald apparently began to entertain the idea of a comeback early last month after the Rams acquired superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett in a trade with Cleveland.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of superstar
Noun
  • Ospreay tells Omega not to play the hero and to tag him in if needed, with Omega returning the sentiment.
    — Rob Wolkenbrod, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • But the unexpected hero of the night was Preston Plambeck, a homegrown player who came off the bench and scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute, finishing off a rebound for his first MLS goal.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Definition of hero

Browse Nearby Words

cause
cause célèbre
caused
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cause célèbre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cause%20c%C3%A9l%C3%A8bre. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of kludge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All