as in star
the person who has the most important role in a play, movie, or TV show
a headliner on variety shows in the early days of TV
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of headliner
Billboard named Don Toliver, Junior H and Mau P as headliners for The Stage, their three-night stint at Waterloo Park on March 13-15.
—
Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
On Air Fest 2026 headliners include Wyclef Jean, Alec Baldwin, Roxane Gay, Malcolm Gladwell, Don Lemon, Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder), The Telepathy Tapes, Chani Nicholas, Heavyweight, Code Switch, Vibe Check and Broken Record.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2026
The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival debuted in 2024 with headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gwen Stefani and Alanis Morissette and was a hit with critics and crowds.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2026
Marking that milestone wasn’t necessarily the main reason for asking Smith to fill out a bill alongside fellow headliners herself and the Chicks.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headliner
Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
On Air Fest 2026 headliners include Wyclef Jean, Alec Baldwin, Roxane Gay, Malcolm Gladwell, Don Lemon, Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder), The Telepathy Tapes, Chani Nicholas, Heavyweight, Code Switch, Vibe Check and Broken Record.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2026
The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival debuted in 2024 with headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gwen Stefani and Alanis Morissette and was a hit with critics and crowds.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2026
Marking that milestone wasn’t necessarily the main reason for asking Smith to fill out a bill alongside fellow headliners herself and the Chicks.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for headliner
Recent Examples of Synonyms for headliner
Noun
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The entertainment industry rewards relevance, star power and personal branding.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Nearby, Sotheby’s will host its first Masters Week at the Breuer Building; its star lot will be a Rembrandt drawing of a lion estimated to sell between $15-20 million.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Another factor is the increase in Americans suffering from chronic diseases, said Hans Leida, a principal focusing on health care at Milliman, an actuarial firm.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
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Efforts to reach principals with the church ownership were unsuccessful, and queries made to its media representative were not answered.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Headliner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/headliner. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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