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
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
Who Fell From Grace With the Sea (1976) and — as alcoholic, has-been singer John Norman Howard — for Barbra Streisand in the remake of A Star Is Born (1976).
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Sep. 2024
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 is one resilient bear, even in the face of a villainous Hugh Grant, who plays a narcissistic, has-been actor.
—Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
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
Who Fell From Grace With the Sea (1976) and — as alcoholic, has-been singer John Norman Howard — for Barbra Streisand in the remake of A Star Is Born (1976).
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Sep. 2024
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 is one resilient bear, even in the face of a villainous Hugh Grant, who plays a narcissistic, has-been actor.
—Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for has-been
Noun
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Sovereigns are stuck because their tools—and their stories—are relics.—
Jules Herd,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
Mao’s violent mass movement shut down schools, paralyzed the government, shattered the economy, destroyed religious and cultural relics – turmoil that only subsided after the leader’s death in 1976.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
12 May 2025
Noun
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In it, actors including Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali face off against some of the most terrifying dinosaurs ever featured in the franchise.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
20 May 2025
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The team brought in an animatronic dinosaur from China, which had to be durable enough to use for stunts when Ellie climbs on top of it.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Has-been.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/has-been. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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