# superstar

/ˌsupɝˈstɑɹ/ (US) · /sˈuːpəstˌɑː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/superstar
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a famous celebrity

noun · CEFR B1

a person who is very famous, especially a singer, actor, or athlete.

For teachers: a high-level celebrity who has achieved immense fame and public recognition.

- The young singer became a global superstar after her first album sold millions of copies.
- The marketing campaign relied heavily on the superstar's endorsement to ensure the product appealed to a younger demographic.

### 2. a top employee

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

an employee who does much better work than everyone else.

For teachers: an exceptionally productive or talented employee who consistently outperforms their peers.

- She is the superstar of the sales department and always hits her targets early.
- The firm struggles to retain its corporate superstars, as competing agencies frequently offer them significantly higher salaries and better benefits.

### 3. a massive star

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

a very large and bright star in space.

For teachers: a giant or supergiant star of immense luminosity and mass.

- The telescope captured a clear image of a distant superstar at the edge of the galaxy.
- Early astronomical texts occasionally used the term superstar to describe what modern astrophysicists now classify more precisely as a blue hypergiant.

## Examples

- The young singer became a global superstar overnight.
- The marketing team hired a sports superstar to promote their new line of running shoes.
- Despite her status as a global superstar, she maintained a surprisingly private life, rarely appearing in the media outside of her professional commitments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.