one-hit wonder

noun

variants or less commonly one hit wonder or one-hit-wonder
plural one-hit wonders also one hit wonders or one-hit-wonders
1
: a musical group that has achieved recognition on the basis of only one widely popular song
Such folks as John Lennon, the Byrds, Lou Rawls, the Hollies, Cyndi Lauper and one-hit wonder Peter McCann will entertain you via a radio played at an unobtrusive level.Pete Bishop
also : the widely popular song of a one-hit wonder
Their 1994 hit "Macarena" has often been voted as the top one-hit-wonder of all time. Kathryn Williams
2
: a person, group, or organization that is known only for a single notable event, product, etc.
But without Pat Croce or Maurice Cheeks to mediate the Larry Brown-Allen Iverson relationship, the Sixers could easily be a one-hit wonder.Mike Wise
Years later, [Steve] Jobs famously described how devastated he felt, only to realize that getting fired from Apple helped him develop the sustained creativity that turned him from a one-hit wonder into a great business leader.Rick Newman
also : the notable event, product, etc. of a one-hit wonder
For readers who aren't as head-over-heels for poetry as I am, The Bell Jar might seem like writer Sylvia Plath's one hit wonder. E. Ce Miller

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-hit wonder was in 1957

Dictionary Entries Near one-hit wonder

Cite this Entry

“One-hit wonder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-hit%20wonder. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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