has-been

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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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 has-been DiCaprio makes a great, vital has-been, squinting at the horrors around him in disbelief, but mostly, driven by the need to protect his child. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 18 Sep. 2025 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for has-been
Noun
  • These relics may contain explosives like TNT, chemical remnants, and even nuclear material.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
  • While the 1972 London Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution put an end to the legal dumping of unused explosive munitions in the sea, these relics now provide a rich area of study for marine biologists, offering a real-world look at how animals adapt to habitat disturbances.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Still, being able to breed dinosaurs gives you a more organic method of creating life.
    Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
  • When a small mishap threats the holiday sparkle, a new dinosaur ornament called Chris goes on a quest to find his missing hat and prove himself to the others.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Has-been.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/has-been. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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