star
[noun]
Synonyms:
- heavenly body
- celebrity, big name, luminary, main attraction, megastar (informal), name
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- leading, brilliant, celebrated, major, prominent, well-known

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English Thesaurus: actor, actress, star, the star, co-star, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. star¹ S2 W2 /stɑː $ stɑːr/ noun [countable]
[Language: Old English; Origin: steorra]

1. IN THE SKY a large ball of burning gas in space that can be seen at night as a point of light in the sky ⇒ constellation, galaxy, supernova:
I lay on my back and looked up at the stars.
The sky was filled with stars.
The stars were shining.
The stars were all out (=they were shining).
The stars were twinkling overhead (=shining and quickly changing from bright to faint).
under the stars (=outdoors at night)
sitting around a campfire under the stars ⇒ falling star, morning star, shooting star

2. FAMOUS PERFORMER/PLAYER a famous and successful actor, musician, or sports player:
By the age of 20, she was already a big star (=a very famous and successful performer).
a pop/movie/TV/football etc star
He is a rising star (=someone who is becoming famous and successful) in the music world.
She’s a good actress but she lacks star quality (=a special quality that could make someone a star).

3. MAIN PERSON IN A FILM/PLAY ETC the person who has the main part, or one of them, in a film, play, show etc
star of
Ray Grimes, the star of the television series ‘Brother John’

4. BEST/MOST SUCCESSFUL PERSON
a) the person who gives the best performance in a film, play, show etc:
Laporte, as Ebenezer Scrooge, is undoubtedly the star of the show.
Shamu, the killer whale, is the show’s star attraction (=best and most popular person or thing).
b) the best or most successful person in a group of players, workers, students etc
star player/performer/salesman etc
the team’s star player
the school’s star pupil
the star columnist of ‘The Sunday Times’

5. SHAPE
a) a shape with four or more points, which represents the way a star looks in the sky
b) a mark in the shape of a star, used to draw attention to something written Synonym : asterisk:
I put a star next to the items that we still need to buy.
c) a piece of cloth or metal in the shape of a star, worn to show someone’s rank or position – used especially on military uniforms:
a four-star general

6. HOTELS/RESTAURANTS a mark used in a system for judging the quality of hotels and restaurants
three-star/four-star/five-star etc
a two-star hotel

7. the stars British English informal a description, usually printed in newspapers and magazines, of what will happen to you in the future, based on the position of the stars and planets at the time of your birth Synonym : horoscope
sb’s stars
I never read my stars. ⇒ star sign

8. something is written in the stars used to say that what happens to a person is controlled by fate (=a power that is believed to influence what happens in people’s lives):
Their marriage was surely written in the stars.

9. see stars to see flashes of light, especially because you have been hit on the head:
I felt a little dizzy and could see stars.

10. have stars in your eyes to imagine that something you want to do is much more exciting or attractive than it really is ⇒ starry-eyed

11. you’re a star!/what a star! British English spoken said when you are very grateful or pleased because of what someone has done:
Thanks, Mel. You’re a real star!
⇒ guiding star at guiding(2), ⇒ born under a lucky/unlucky star at born²(7), ⇒ reach for the stars at reach¹(11), ⇒ thank your lucky stars at thank(3)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. star² verb (past tense and past participle starred, present participle starring)

1. [intransitive] if someone stars in a film, television show etc, they are one of the main characters in it
star in
Eastwood starred in ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’.
star with/opposite
DeVito stars opposite Dreyfuss in the movie.
star as
Hugh Grant stars as the romantic hero.
‘The Freshman’ was Brando’s first starring role (=the most important part in a film) in ten years.

2. [transitive] if a film, television show, or play stars someone, that person is one of the main characters in it Synonym : feature:
a film starring Meryl Streep
star somebody as ...
The movie starred Orson Welles as Harry Lime.

3. [transitive usually passive] to put an asterisk (=a star-shaped mark) next to something written:
The starred items are available.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

star
noun
I. small point of light in the night sky
ADJ. bright, brilliant | faint | distant | nearby, nearer/nearest | falling, shooting | evening, morning
QUANT. cluster a dense cluster of stars at the galaxy's nucleus
STAR + VERB be out | shine, twinkle A bright star shone in the East.
appear, come out
STAR + NOUN cluster
PREP. under the ~s We camped out under the stars.
PHRASES a canopy of stars They lay down under a canopy of stars.
the brightness/density/luminosity of a star

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

star
II. famous person
ADJ. big There were several big Hollywood stars at the function.
true, undisputed | rising, young | football, pop, etc. | Hollywood, screen, film, movie, soap, TV
QUANT. array, galaxy, host Channel 4 has lined up a galaxy of stars for the coming season.
STAR + NOUN quality, status | role | actor, performer, player | attraction, turn He was the star turn at the celebrations.
vehicle The film was nothing more than a star vehicle for Tom Hanks.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

star

a star shines
I looked up and saw hundreds of stars shining in the sky.
a star twinkles (=shines with an unsteady light)
Stars began to twinkle in the darkening night sky.
stars appear/come out (=appear in the sky)
We arrived home just as the stars were coming out.
the stars are out (=they are shining)
There was a full moon, and the stars were out.
look up at the stars
I had spent a lot of time looking up at the stars as a kid.
sleep under the stars (=in a place with no roof)
In the desert, they slept out under the stars.
bright
the brightest star in the night sky
faint
The star is faint but visible.
a distant star (=very far away)
He stared up towards the distant stars.
a cluster of stars (=a small group of stars close together in the sky)
He fixed his telescope on a tiny little cluster of stars in the constellation of Taurus.
a big star (=a very famous and successful star)
He has worked with some of the world’s biggest stars.
a movie/Hollywood star (also a film star especially British English)
He looked like a movie star.
a pop/rock star
Who’s your favourite pop star?
a TV star
Most TV stars do quite a lot of charity work.
a soap star (=a star in a television soap opera)
She was known as a soap star before she took up singing.
a sports/football/basketball etc star
Sam was a football star in college.
an international star (=a star who is famous in many countries)
His performance in 'The Titanic' made him an international star.
a rising star (=someone who is becoming famous and successful)
She is very much the rising star of Black American fiction.
a child star (=a child who is a famous performer)
The production team say they have been careful to look after all their child stars.
star quality (=a special quality that could make someone a star)
She radiates genuine star quality.
star treatment (=special treatment that a star gets)
Winners get star treatment from the media.
a star vehicle (=a film or television programme that is intended to show the abilities of one particular star)
He denied that the movie was just a star vehicle for Tom Hanks.
a star of stage and screen (=a star who has been in plays and films)
Now this much-loved star of stage and screen has been made a Dame.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

actor someone who performs in a play or film:
Her son wants to be an actor.
Both my parents are actors.
actress a woman who performs in a play or film. Many women prefer to be called actors rather than actresses:
Who was the actress who played Jane Eyre?
She’s one of my favourite actresses.
star a famous actor:
Julia Roberts is a famous Hollywood star.
The hotel is popular with movie stars.
the star someone who plays the most important part in a play or film:
Daniel Radcliffe is the star of the ‘Harry Potter’ films.
co-star one of two or more famous actors who have important parts in a play or film:
Her co-star Jodie Foster won the Best Actress Award.
the lead the main acting part in a play or film:
He will play the lead in a new version of ‘Dracula’.
extra an actor in a film who does not say anything but is part of a crowd:
She started her career as an extra in TV soap operas.
understudy an actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill:
Vanessa had flu, and her place was taken by her understudy, Miss Lisa Fennell.
the cast all the actors in a play or film:
Other members of the cast include Johnny Depp and Danny DeVito.
She will head the cast (=she will have the most important part).
company a group of actors who perform plays together:
In 2006, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The play will be performed by an all-female company.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

extra in addition to the usual or standard cost, time, amount etc:
They let the kids stay up an extra hour.
Some stores charge extra for delivery.
Postage is extra.
additional [only before noun] more than the basic amount or the amount that you expected or agreed. Additional is more formal than extra:
An evening job would provide additional income.
There may be an additonal charge for paying bills by credit card.
added [only before noun ] extra – used when talking about something that makes something better or more effective:
an added benefit
an added precaution
It was a beautiful place, and the good weather was an added bonus.
Use a sunscreen for added protection.
spare [only before noun] kept in addition to the one you usually use, so that it is available if the one you usually use breaks, gets lost etc:
a spare key
a spare tyre
a spare set of clothes
actor someone who performs in a play or film:
Her son wants to be an actor.
Both my parents are actors.
actress a woman who performs in a play or film. Many women prefer to be called actors rather than actresses:
Who was the actress who played Jane Eyre?
She’s one of my favourite actresses.
star a famous actor:
Julia Roberts is a famous Hollywood star.
The hotel is popular with movie stars.
the star someone who plays the most important part in a play or film:
Daniel Radcliffe is the star of the ‘Harry Potter’ films.
co-star one of two or more famous actors who have important parts in a play or film:
Her co-star Jodie Foster won the Best Actress Award.
the lead the main acting part in a play or film:
He will play the lead in a new version of ‘Dracula’.
understudy an actor who learns a part in a play so that they can act the part if the usual actor is ill:
Vanessa had flu, and her place was taken by her understudy, Miss Lisa Fennell.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

film especially British English, movie especially American English a series of images that tell a story and are shown in a cinema or on television:
What’s your favourite movie?
It won the award for best foreign film.
a made-for-TV movie
motion picture formal (also picture) a film – used especially by people who make films or by critics:
a major Hollywood motion picture
Tell us about your latest picture.
blockbuster informal a very successful film:
Steven Spielberg’s latest Hollywood blockbuster
flick informal a film – a very informal use:
an action flick
documentary a film that gives detailed information and facts about a particular subject:
a documentary on the rain forest
feature film a film made to be shown in cinemas:
The book was later made into a full-length feature film starring Sean Penn.
comedy a film intended to make people laugh:
Monroe appeared in a number of comedies.
romantic comedy (also romcom British English informal) a film about two people who are in love, which is intended to make the people who watch it feel happy:
‘Notting Hill’ is a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.
thriller an exciting film, especially about murder or serious crimes:
‘The Birds’ is a classic Hitchcock thriller.
film noir a film that shows strong feelings of fear or evil and whose characters are often immoral, or these films in general:
‘The Big Sleep’ is a classic Hollywood film noir.
action film/movie a film that has lots of fighting, explosions etc:
Stallone’s latest action movie
horror film/movie a frightening film about ghosts, murders etc:
She loves watching old horror movies.
western a film with cowboys in it:
John Wayne is famous for making westerns.
science fiction film/movie (also sci-fi film/movie informal) a film about imaginary events in the future or in outer space:
‘2001’ is probably the most famous sci-fi movie ever made.
gangster film/movie a film about violent criminals
silent film/movie an old film without any sound:
The 1920s were the golden age of silent movies.
an independent film/movie a film made by a small film company
animated film/movie/cartoon a film with characters that are drawn or made using a computer:
One of his first animated films was ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’.
anime /ˈænɪmeɪ, -mə/ a type of Japanese animated film, which often has a science fiction story:
Miyazaki’s anime film ‘Spirited Away’ became an international success.
an anime character
CGI the use of computers to create characters and images in a film:
The film uses CGI.
Disney’s latest CGI movie
short a short film, usually shown before a longer movie in the cinema:
an animated short
trailer a series of short scenes from a film or programme, shown in order to advertise it in a cinema, on television etc:
We had to sit through all the trailers.
actor a man or woman who acts in a film:
a previously unknown actor
Brando was one of Hollywood’s greatest actors.
actress a woman who acts in a film. Women who appear in films or plays usually prefer to be called actors:
She was the actress who played Scarlet O'Hara in ‘Gone with the Wind’.
star a famous actor or actress:
He looked liked a movie star.
a hotel which was used by the stars
director the person who tells the actors and actresses in a film what to do:
The director of the film is Quentin Tarantino.
producer the person who makes the arrangements for a film to be made and controls the budget
film/movie crew the people operating the camera, lights etc who help the director make a film

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

star a famous and successful actor, musician, or sports person:
She dreamed of becoming a movie star.
a talent show to find the stars of the future
celebrity someone who often appears in newspapers, on television etc and is well-known to the public. Celebrities are often famous for being famous, not because they have any great talent:
The magazine is full of gossip about celebrities.
name a famous person whose name is known by many people – used especially in the following expressions:
All the big names in football were at the awards dinner.
Giorgio Armani is one of the most famous names in fashion.
He is yet to become a household name (=someone who everyone has heard of).
personality an entertainer or sports player who is famous and often appears in the newspapers, on television etc. – used especially in the following phrases:
Many advertisers use TV personalities to promote their products.
He was chosen as sports personality of the year.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

star a large ball of burning gas in space, which can be seen at night as a point of light in the sky:
The dark night sky was clear and full of stars.
planet one of the large objects that goes around the sun, for example the Earth, Saturn, Mercury, or Mars:
The planet Uranus was discovered in 1781.
sun the star that gives us light and heat, around which the planets move. There are also many millions of other suns in the universe:
The sun came out from behind a cloud.
a dying sun
moon the round object that moves around the Earth every 28 days, or a similar object that goes around another planet:
The moon rose in the night sky.
Titan is one of the moons of Saturn.
asteroid a mass of rock that moves around the sun. Most asteroids are found between Jupiter and Mars:
the asteroid belt
pulsar a type of star that is far away in space and produces radiation and RADIO WAVES
quasar an object like a star that is far away in space and shines extremely brightly
supernova a very large exploding star
constellation a group of stars that forms a particular pattern and has a name:
The constellation of Orion is one of the most easily recognizable patterns of stars in the night sky.
galaxy one of the large groups of stars that make up the universe:
Astronomers have detected a galaxy 11 billion light years away.
the universe all space, including all the stars and planets:
How many planets in the universe have life?
celebrity someone who often appears in newspapers, on television etc and is well-known to the public. Celebrities are often famous for being famous, not because they have any great talent:
The magazine is full of gossip about celebrities.
name a famous person whose name is known by many people – used especially in the following expressions:
All the big names in football were at the awards dinner.
Giorgio Armani is one of the most famous names in fashion.
He is yet to become a household name (=someone who everyone has heard of).
personality an entertainer or sports player who is famous and often appears in the newspapers, on television etc. – used especially in the following phrases:
Many advertisers use TV personalities to promote their products.
He was chosen as sports personality of the year.
superstar an extremely famous performer, especially a musician or film actor:
The film made Tom Cruise an international superstar.
legend someone who is famous and admired for being extremely good at doing something – used especially about people who are at the end of a long career or who have died:
blues legend John Lee Hooker
Jane Fonda is the daughter of film legend Henry Fonda.
great [usually plural] someone who was one of the best players or performers that there have ever been:
He was one of the all-time soccer greats.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

star
stɑ:
See: five-star , see stars , hitch one's wagon to a star , lucky star , thank one's lucky stars

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

STAR
Stop, Think, Act & Review

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲