has-been

The satirical literary thriller follows Mallory, a celebrated but has-been author who’s had writer’s block for nearly a decade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

It's up to the player, manager, or has-been like myself to make a judgement call in the moment.

From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026

Restored concert footage in Baz Luhrmann’s new documentary, “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert,” challenges the idea that the King was a has-been in the years before his death.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026

He’s invited her to coffee not as father and daughter, but as a has-been angling to cast Nora as the lead of his next film, which he claims he’s written for her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025

“Ibtihaj, you don’t have to be a has-been already,” Mom consoled me.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

What consequential life experiences have I missed, taunting my eyeballs, indulging this social media imp turned experimental pugilist as he bumbles around the ring with has-beens and never-weres?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025

Leading into Perth, Stokes called the former players who had criticised England's low-key build up as "has-beens" -- and that came back to bite him.

From Barron's ● Nov. 23, 2025

England's plan to play a solitary warm-up game against the Lions has been questioned by some former players but Stokes hit back by calling the critics "has-beens".

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2025

In perhaps the saddest post of the day, a user named Saga mocked up a fantasy poster for the event that featured a murderers’ row of has-beens like Papa Roach, Nickelback, Staind and, yep, Creed.

From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2025

You’d find the high school phenoms running circles around the overweight has-beens, guys who’d effortlessly played above-the-rim years ago now trying to catch their breath and salvage what was left of their once-stylish games.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore