variants also ikon
1
as in hero
a person who is the object of extreme or uncritical devotion Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and other icons of pop culture

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2
as in symbol
a written or printed mark that is meant to convey information to the reader the player's remote control is very user-friendly as it doesn't use any icons that you haven't seen a million times before

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of icon Many looked at style icons of the past, ranging from Edith Bouvier Beale to Bianca Jagger and Anouk Aimée. WWD, 3 Mar. 2025 This hotel celebrates female empowerment through mischievous art installations and cheeky design details that honor cultural and historical female icons, including an extraordinary mural of the late, great Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Jessie Beck, AFAR Media, 3 Mar. 2025 During his lifetime, Cobain spearheaded an international phenomenon, becoming not only the most visible representative of Seattle’s grunge scene but also an icon for a whole generation of disenfranchised youth. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 20 Feb. 2025 Wave farewell to an American maritime icon The storied ocean liner SS United States left its Philadelphia pier on Wednesday to embark on its final mission … underwater. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for icon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for icon
Noun
  • Hampton portrays unconventional hero Gabi Mosely in Found, a one-time kidnapping victim turned public relations specialist who now runs a firm dedicated to finding missing people.
    Denise Petski, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Jason Statham $24 million ($25 million gross) Statham, 57, has proven to be box office Teflon in recent years, stringing together a series of modest hits playing regular-guy action heroes, including 2024’s The Beekeeper.
    Matt Craig, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Manufacturing has become a unifying force, a symbol of patriotism, pride, and the promise of a better, more prosperous future.
    Ethan Karp, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
  • The staffing crisis at Yosemite drew public attention on Saturday when an upside-down American flag – a symbol of distress – was unfurled at the park’s Horsetail Fall.
    Rafael Romo, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • This infrastructure could be a major enabler for real-time AI avatars, which typically require powerful cloud computing resources.
    Charlie Fink, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Destroying those monsters means eating into your avatar Jorge's health total, which is prominently displayed in the bottom-left corner.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 10 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The stars came out to shine for the Trojans as Kiki Iriafen and JuJu Watkins each scored 22 points in the victory.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • By the 1940s, Weegee had moved to Hollywood and taken up work shooting the stars.
    Matt Shaw, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • What Makary decides to do will go a long way in determining the extent to which Kennedy is able to remake American health in his image.
    Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Benedict Chiu, United States, 2023 A member of a famous K-Pop boy band whose face has been disfigured by an accident must undergo surgery to repair his fracturing image.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Fiyero The first name of a male character shows up on the list at number six.
    Sari Hitchins, Parents, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The trio played characters who died in the franchise and are returning in a surprise way.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The last incarnation of the Avatar born an earthbender was Kyoshi, voiced by Jennifer Hale on the first two series.
    Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025
  • The modern incarnation is in a flute, sans the ice.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Rose, 41, posted a photo of her look on Instagram where fans reacted, many comparing her to other celebrities after not recognizing her on first glance.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The latest fashion news, beauty coverage, celebrity style, fashion week updates, culture reviews, and videos on Vogue.com.
    Phil Oh, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Icon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/icon. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

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