has-been
/'hæzbi:n/
Definition
- Noun:
- A person who is no longer popular, successful, or influential: A "has-been" refers to someone who was once famous, important, or skilled but whose fame, relevance, or ability has now significantly declined or ended.
Usage
- The term is often used in informal or slightly critical contexts to describe celebrities, athletes, artists, or public figures whose peak of success is perceived to be in the past.
- It can carry a connotation of pity or mild scorn, suggesting the person is clinging to past glory.
- It is typically used as a countable noun (e.g., , ).
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "A has-been" vs. "A never-was": While a "has-been" achieved success in the past, a "never-was" is someone who never achieved any notable success at all.
- Critics called him a has-been, but at least he had a decade of fame. She's just a never-was.
- Used attributively (before another noun) to describe something outdated.
- The town is full of has-been actors and forgotten musicians.
Variants and Related Words
- Washed-up (adjective): Informal synonym describing someone whose career is over or who is no longer successful.
- He's a washed-up comedian playing small clubs.
- Former star (noun phrase): A more neutral term for someone who was once famous.
- Past one's prime (idiomatic phrase): Describing someone who is no longer at their best, often due to age.
Synonyms
- Yesterday's news: An idiom for someone or something no longer interesting or important.
- On the decline: A phrase describing a decrease in popularity or ability.
Related Idioms
- Living on past glory: Behaving as if one's past achievements are still relevant today.
- The politician is just living on past glory; no one listens to his speeches anymore.
- A flash in the pan: Someone or something that enjoyed a very brief period of success (different from a "has-been," which implies a longer period of past success).
- His first novel was a hit, but he turned out to be a flash in the pan, not a true has-been.
Noun
-
someone who is no longer popular
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