rock star

noun

plural rock stars
1
: a famous rock musician
From my standpoint, from '72 to '76, I was the ultimate rock star. I couldn't have been more of a rock star. Anything that had to do with being a rock 'n' roll singer was what I was going for.David Bowie
He's what I always thought rock stars should be: sexy, dangerous, outrageous, and funny. And at least a little self-aware.Doug Brod
2
: a highly accomplished and well-regarded person in a particular field
Locals came streaming across a muddy construction site on the Cooper River to catch a glimpse of the rock star of politics.Howard Fineman
The Colchester Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education are the rock stars of our town's elected government.Jason Cohen
For the agency, whose mission is building soil health, Brandt [David Brandt, farmer] has emerged as a kind of rock star. He's a "step ahead of the game."Tom Philpott
Pale-faced and bespectacled, the 43-year-old Chudzinski is an emerging rock star in NFL coaching circles.David G Fleming
… the day of the celebrity chef is seriously upon us. Chefs have become the rock stars of their generation, and we all long to know them better.Ruth Reichl

Examples of rock star in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The rock star, a Type 1 diabetic since childhood, has been candid with fans about his health issues. Kim Willis, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2026 That said, his snug T-shirts and sometimes-elegant shirts and well-cut suit jackets, wide mouth, gap-tooth smile, open face and long wavy hair scream ’70s rock star. Katherine Turman, SPIN, 21 Aug. 2026 That gave Sutcliffe an excuse to talk with one of the most famous rock stars of all-time, and simply made The Wedding all that much more fun. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026 Sorbo plays Elijah's talent manager, a man desperately attempting to keep the troubled rock star's life from completely falling apart. Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rock star

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rock star was in 1960

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rock star.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rock%20star. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster