variants
also ikons
1
as in heroes
a person who is the object of extreme or uncritical devotion
Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and other icons of pop culture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in symbols
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 manifestations
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 celebrities
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 pictures
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.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of icons
The Dodgers have won 12 Cy Young awards, the most of any major league team, with franchise icons including Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Clayton Kershaw bringing home the hardware.
—
Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The food, music, history and culture here are unlike anywhere else in the world — and five days gives you enough time to hit the icons and still wander into something unexpected.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2026
Two Orange County surfing culture icons will be honored at this year’s Surf Industry Member Association’s Waterman’s Ball, a prestigious gathering that recognizes influential wave riders and cultural icons who have helped shape the surfing world.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Since then, the brand has launched a menswear line and collaborated with style icons like Alexa Chung and Dakota Fanning.
—Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2026
Meet celebrities, industry icons, creators, artists and cosplayers and express your fandom and passion in this three-day convention.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
But paleontology didn’t really get going until the 19th century, when fuller fossils were uncovered and experts started to call these massive lizard-looking things dinosaurs, said Vicky Coules, a researcher at the University of Bristol in the UK who studies how dinosaurs became visual icons.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Stoudemire joins a lineage of Jewish basketball icons in the Hall of Fame, including Sue Bird, who was inducted last year, Nancy Lieberman, Nat Holman, Barney Sedran, Max Friedman and Dolph Schayes — the only other Jewish player to have his number retired in the NBA.
—Jacob Gurvis, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
The top bar includes icons for triggering the various windows, a transport bar for recording and playback, and more icons for a count-off, a guitar tuner, loop recording, and a metronome.
—Jamie Lendino, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The food, music, history and culture here are unlike anywhere else in the world — and five days gives you enough time to hit the icons and still wander into something unexpected.
—Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2026
Two Orange County surfing culture icons will be honored at this year’s Surf Industry Member Association’s Waterman’s Ball, a prestigious gathering that recognizes influential wave riders and cultural icons who have helped shape the surfing world.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 7 Apr. 2026
Since then, the brand has launched a menswear line and collaborated with style icons like Alexa Chung and Dakota Fanning.
—Jessica Sulima, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2026
Meet celebrities, industry icons, creators, artists and cosplayers and express your fandom and passion in this three-day convention.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
But paleontology didn’t really get going until the 19th century, when fuller fossils were uncovered and experts started to call these massive lizard-looking things dinosaurs, said Vicky Coules, a researcher at the University of Bristol in the UK who studies how dinosaurs became visual icons.
—Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
Stoudemire joins a lineage of Jewish basketball icons in the Hall of Fame, including Sue Bird, who was inducted last year, Nancy Lieberman, Nat Holman, Barney Sedran, Max Friedman and Dolph Schayes — the only other Jewish player to have his number retired in the NBA.
—Jacob Gurvis, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
The top bar includes icons for triggering the various windows, a transport bar for recording and playback, and more icons for a count-off, a guitar tuner, loop recording, and a metronome.
—Jamie Lendino, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icons
Noun
-
The show saw the heroes combine their powers to fight off the mysterious mercenary cult known as The Hand.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Ladytron willed themselves into existence some 25 years ago, writing their names in the residue of icy-hot heroes like Kraftwerk, Soft Cell, and Gina X.—
Jesse Dorris,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These statues are often more than a hundred years old and are symbols of great pride for their neighborhood parishes.—
Alexis Marshall,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The two even teamed up as Depp branded two cases of wood to match the symbols on their new Three Hearts bottles.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.—
Jessie Opoien,
jsonline.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Its early manifestations frequently surface in other clinics.—
Sarah Berg,
STAT,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The high-profile dispute has, over the past year and a half, ensnared several other celebrities in Lively and Baldoni's orbit as the discovery process in their case exposed the stars' private communications.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Marc Anthony will sing the national anthem and other celebrities are expected to be on hand.—
Michelle Kaufman
April 3,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Two television cameras looking down from an altitude of about 450 miles made initial pictures of earthly cloud patterns on the satellite’s second orbitable trip.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
After walking into her personal office to find Gordon redecorating the room with pictures of herself, Gomez sits down to review her assistant's to-do list for the day.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The show features a performance by young women dressed as the HUNTR/X idols, courtesy of Royal Entertainers, a San Diego business that provides costumed characters for parties.—
Marcia Luttrell,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
For the first time ever on Survivor, a contestant found two idols, then got to keep neither.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The converted car, filled with seats and fast-moving images LED screens, doesn’t go anywhere but gives you the illusion of traveling through agave fields.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The material included images taken with a cellphone, apparently to avoid detection on company devices.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The high-profile dispute has, over the past year and a half, ensnared several other celebrities in Lively and Baldoni's orbit as the discovery process in their case exposed the stars' private communications.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Festivalgoers will be invited to celebrate the return of the series with a communal viewing under the stars.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Icons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icons. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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