variants
also ikon
1
2
as in symbol
a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader
the player's remote control is very user-friendly as it doesn't use any icons that you haven't seen a million times before
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in manifestation
a visible representation of something abstract (as a quality)
cites Marlene Dietrich as an icon of old-time Hollywood glamour
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in star
a person who is widely known and usually much talked about
a sports bar filled with photos of icons from football, basketball, and baseball
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in image
a two dimensional design intended to look like a person or thing
any icon of the Deity is regarded as blasphemous by adherents of that religion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 icon
Chef Hillary Sterling has worked in kitchens with culinary icons such as Bobby Flay and Missy Robbins.
—
Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Bjelland was one of the icons of the riot grrrl scene in the Nineties, and along with Courtney Love and Bratmobile’s Allison Wolfe, she was known for sporting hyper-feminine, girly dresses.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026
From pioneers, leaders, and titans to artists, innovators, and icons, introducing the 2026 TIME100.
—Time, 12 May 2026
Britney Spears has pleaded guilty to reckless driving in her DUI case and is avoiding jail time as the pop icon will instead face a year of probation.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for icon
Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Bjelland was one of the icons of the riot grrrl scene in the Nineties, and along with Courtney Love and Bratmobile’s Allison Wolfe, she was known for sporting hyper-feminine, girly dresses.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026
From pioneers, leaders, and titans to artists, innovators, and icons, introducing the 2026 TIME100.
—Time, 12 May 2026
Britney Spears has pleaded guilty to reckless driving in her DUI case and is avoiding jail time as the pop icon will instead face a year of probation.
—Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for icon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icon
Noun
-
In fact, the Central Florida Zoo is playing a hero’s role in this heartbreaking rescue, following official guidelines from the national Association of Zoos and Aquariums in trying to nurse the sloths back to health.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Any number of other Knicks played the hero, willing the team to a gutsy victory, showing sudden grit after so many easy blowouts.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Rodríguez has publicly sought to distance her interim government from some of the most notorious symbols of repression associated with the Maduro era.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
11 May 2026
-
As far as symbolism, a serpent is a transformative symbol, often cited for the way the snake sheds its skin.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
In the face of shooting and shooting-up deaths, if permanent gates — which are, after all, only a physical manifestation of the existing curfew — will deter mischief and malfeasance post-midnight, then my vote is to lock it up.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
Examples include his pioneering insights on the dispersal of seeds, his anticipation of Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection and his study of the seasonal manifestations of natural phenomena, such as plants’ flowering times and bird migrations.—
Robert M. Thorson,
The Conversation,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Bradley’s roster of clients was the A-list—and the B-list, too—of the era’s stars of musical theatre and revues.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
13 May 2026
-
That includes team executives Elton Brand and former Saint Joseph’s star and NBA veteran Jameer Nelson.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Such pairings are one of Wilson’s strengths, his eye for portraiture matched by his skill for arranging images on the page.—
Casey Cep,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
The image doesn’t mean the basketball gods have already penciled Dybantsa into Brooklyn’s future.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
In the late 1980s, my idol Prince was on tour in Munich.—
Christine Mortag,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 May 2026
-
And what once was a simple majority-rules vote each week has been complicated by the addition of individual immunity idols and advantages that can shift the balance of power from the collective toward maverick individuals.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
When two teens who connect as avatars in a virtual world are forced into a remote wilderness therapy program, their digital escape collides with reality.—
Staff report,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
-
At the center of the story is Molina’s tentacled avatar, Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus who has lived most of his life at the cozy and clean Sowell Bay Aquarium, located near Puget Sound.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Loafers are everywhere this spring, with celebrities like Sharon Stone and Katie Holmes recently stepping out in the comfortable yet classy flats.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
-
These mad scientists then trained a small flock of sheep to recognize four celebrities—Emma Watson, Barack Obama, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the BBC newsreader Fiona Bruce—from their pictures on the internet.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Icon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icon. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
