headliner

noun

head·​lin·​er ˈhed-ˌlī-nər How to pronounce headliner (audio)
Synonyms of headlinernext
1
: the principal performer in a show : star
2
: fabric covering the inside of the roof of an automobile

Examples of headliner in a Sentence

He was the headliner at a local night club. a headliner on variety shows in the early days of TV
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.
Texas’ Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin are the early headliners in the 2027 QB class, but there’s an extended tier of prospects behind them who could also make a jump. Jeff Howe, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 Post Malone, Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson are the headliners. Evan Schaben, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026 In past years, the association president has been followed by the commander-in-chief, and then a headliner, usually a comedian who roasts everyone in the room. Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026 Their weekend 2 performance matched that of Friday night headliner Sabrina Carpenter, who brought out Madonna. Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for headliner

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of headliner was in 1896

Cite this Entry

“Headliner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headliner. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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