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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Recent Examples of icons
The annual award show spotlights celebrities, influencers and icons from across the entertainment and media industries who’ve made an impact on Black culture.
—
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
The label’s young artists were aware of the Queen’s pedigree, and Cruz recorded at a furious pace — mostly with Pacheco, but also with tastemaker Willie Colón, former jazz conguero Ray Barretto, and as resident diva with the label’s conglomerate of icons, the Fania All-Stars.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
In 2007, Entertainment Weekly ranked him 87th on a list of the 100 greatest television icons of all time, and in 2015, Rolling Stone named him one of the 10 greatest Saturday Night Live performers in the show's 40-year history.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The 230-foot-tall North Star swing tower serves as one of the tallest icons of the park.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
The screening will be followed by a live performance by nine-time Grammy Award-winning icons Earth, Wind & Fire and three-time Grammy Award-winning group The Roots at the Beacon Theatre.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026
Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas were '80s fashion icons as Crockett and Tubbs.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Her alleged favorites have yet to be confirmed by Kate herself, but they have nevertheless been widely reported on (just like two other royal style icons, Meghan Markle and the late Princess Diana).
—Rebecca Norris, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
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
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
The label’s young artists were aware of the Queen’s pedigree, and Cruz recorded at a furious pace — mostly with Pacheco, but also with tastemaker Willie Colón, former jazz conguero Ray Barretto, and as resident diva with the label’s conglomerate of icons, the Fania All-Stars.
—Ernesto Lechner, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
In 2007, Entertainment Weekly ranked him 87th on a list of the 100 greatest television icons of all time, and in 2015, Rolling Stone named him one of the 10 greatest Saturday Night Live performers in the show's 40-year history.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Apr. 2026
The 230-foot-tall North Star swing tower serves as one of the tallest icons of the park.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026
The screening will be followed by a live performance by nine-time Grammy Award-winning icons Earth, Wind & Fire and three-time Grammy Award-winning group The Roots at the Beacon Theatre.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026
Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas were '80s fashion icons as Crockett and Tubbs.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Her alleged favorites have yet to be confirmed by Kate herself, but they have nevertheless been widely reported on (just like two other royal style icons, Meghan Markle and the late Princess Diana).
—Rebecca Norris, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icons
Noun
-
There’s this Swedish actor, Ernst-Hugo Järegård, who was one of my heroes.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Finally, royal jelly—yet another one of nature’s anti-aging heroes—spurs the production of collagen, thus restoring a youthful bounce to aging skin.—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Voters will face a jumbo-sized ballot featuring candidates' photos and party symbols, a longstanding practice in a society historically marked by low literacy levels.—
Simeon Tegel,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
-
It is made entirely from gold sheets and ornately decorated with protective symbols.—
Ryan Brennan
April 10,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Within the parameters of a game—where non-player characters essentially function as different disguises for, and manifestations of, a single narrative engine—such paranoia might not be unjustified.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Behaviors that may be interpreted as noncompliance or a threat can, in reality, be manifestations of profound distress.—
Jim Cook,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To celebrate the opening, Nat Geo explorer Bertie Gregory made an appearance at the pop-up, introducing the documentary to an audience of fans, influencers and celebrities as well as highlighting the role of bees in the ecosystem and sharing some behind-the-scenes insights from the two-part series.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The fashion industry can be notoriously dismissive of celebrities who try to cross over into design.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One of those pictures was with Luca Gamauf, a university student.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The management also tossed pictures of his kids.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yet when the lights come up and the idols of her youth begin to sing, something is unlocked.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
No wonder Trump, who wants to erect idols to himself like a Canaanite king, is so upset.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Colbert said, as images of the president sitting and looking uncomfortable appeared onscreen.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Apr. 2026
-
View gallery - 6 images After Polish architecture firm KWK Promes won a competition in 2016 to design a luxury single-family home in suburban Vilnius, Lithuania, a law slashed the allowable building footprint in half.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Fresh off the global success of KPop Demon Hunters, the film’s vocal stars are bringing their fandom full circle with a new collaboration that turns a familiar fast-food run into an immersive experience.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Lyrid meteor shower is active from April 16-25 and reaches its peak overnight on April 21-22, when up to 18 shooting stars may be seen flaring to life each hour in the early spring sky, according to the American Meteor Society.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Icons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icons. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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