has-been
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He had a heart-tugging origin story that saw him transform from a has-been television star into one of the thousands of residents who lost their home in last year’s Palisades fire.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 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
For those who think of late-career Elvis Presley as only a plump has-been, a gaudy Las Vegas crooner slinging schlock in the 1970s, Baz Luhrmann’s new movie is a bracing corrective.
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
I hadn’t attained that level of status in my career and at my age, I was already considered a has-been.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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