who's who

noun

often capitalized both Ws
1
: a compilation of brief biographical sketches of prominent persons in a particular field
a who's who of sports figures
2
: the leaders of a group : elite
3
: a listing or grouping of notable persons or things

Examples of who's who in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The intrigue: Fifty years ago on Oct. 26, 1974, Frank Sinatra headlined the first concert at Richfield Coliseum, the northeast Ohio venue that showcased a who's who of music's elite from the mid-1970s through the mid-'90s. Troy Smith, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024 Combs' network of high-profile politicians includes a who's who in national and local politics, including presidential candidates, members of Congress and mayors. Melissa Cruz, USA TODAY, 20 Sep. 2024 The Enquirer spotted a who's who of Cincinnati politics entering the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, where the event was held. Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 6 Oct. 2024 It's attended by a who's who of scientists, business leaders and celebrities, from Norway's foreign minister to Google's chief sustainability officer to Prince Harry. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024 These were the who's who of the US spaceflight community, many of whom, like Gerstenmaier, had come up in the Space Shuttle Program, long before the era of commercial space. Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 24 Sep. 2024 Greater Cleveland Habitat for Humanity, and a who's who of political and nonprofit leaders, broke ground Thursday on a modular home project in Collinwood. Sam Allard, Axios, 20 Sep. 2024 The celebrity guest list at the spring NYFW runway shows was the who's who of music, Hollywood, sports and, of course, fashion. Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2024 The National Football League is meeting with a who's who of private equity firms this week to discuss team ownership parameters, Sportico reports. Tim Baysinger, Axios, 13 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of who's who was in 1917

Dictionary Entries Near who's who

Cite this Entry

“Who's who.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/who%27s%20who. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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