as in relic
one that has passed the peak of effectiveness or popularity
now a has-been, the actor's been reduced to appearing on a third-rate reality show
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Recent Examples of has-been
And as alcoholic has-been Morris, Matthau was fantastically slovenly and cynical, an anti–role model for the ages.
—
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 25 July 2025
Sonny strides onto the track with unruffled cool—a Pitt signature—and is laconic enough to endure a series of press conferences at which journalists are quick to label him a has-been.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
On June 8, Nicole Scherzinger, 46, won her first Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her role as Norma Desmond, a has-been staging a comeback in Sunset Blvd, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway adaptation of the 1950 film by the same name.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 June 2025
Sun-soaked, punk rock ’70s California, a fraught family safari in Africa, a frustrated has-been and a digital future portrayed in a PowerPoint presentation show how disparate lives can affect each other.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Her being nominated for playing a grotesque has-been is, at the very least, a delicious irony.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
This isn’t a turn of events that Macchio, 63, possibly could have expected just a few years ago, when most of Hollywood had dismissed him as an Eighties has-been.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2025
The undaunted political has-been went on to found The Carter Center, which pioneered election monitoring and sent watchdogs to 81 elections in 33 countries.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 30 Dec. 2024
Nicole Scherzinger, too, is undeniable, bringing astounding vocals and haunting desperation to vampiric Hollywood has-been Norma Desmond.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 25 July 2025
Sonny strides onto the track with unruffled cool—a Pitt signature—and is laconic enough to endure a series of press conferences at which journalists are quick to label him a has-been.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 June 2025
On June 8, Nicole Scherzinger, 46, won her first Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her role as Norma Desmond, a has-been staging a comeback in Sunset Blvd, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway adaptation of the 1950 film by the same name.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 June 2025
Sun-soaked, punk rock ’70s California, a fraught family safari in Africa, a frustrated has-been and a digital future portrayed in a PowerPoint presentation show how disparate lives can affect each other.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Her being nominated for playing a grotesque has-been is, at the very least, a delicious irony.
—Tom Gliatto, People.com, 2 Mar. 2025
This isn’t a turn of events that Macchio, 63, possibly could have expected just a few years ago, when most of Hollywood had dismissed him as an Eighties has-been.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2025
The undaunted political has-been went on to found The Carter Center, which pioneered election monitoring and sent watchdogs to 81 elections in 33 countries.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 30 Dec. 2024
Nicole Scherzinger, too, is undeniable, bringing astounding vocals and haunting desperation to vampiric Hollywood has-been Norma Desmond.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for has-been
Noun
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Comets are among the most captivating wanderers of the solar system — icy relics from its earliest days that blaze across the sky with glowing tails and mysterious origins.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Investors and policymakers should brace for a world where 2% becomes a relic, not a reality.—
Bob Haber,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Nearby, kids will also enjoy discovering faux dinosaur bones and skulls huddled among the trees and shrubbery.—
Jeanine Barone,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The bones were recovered from the São José do Rio Preto Formation, known for its abundance of dinosaur remains.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Has-been.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/has-been. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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