all-star

American

[awl-stahr] / ˈɔlˌstɑr /

adjective

consisting of athletes chosen as the best at their positions from all teams in a league or region.

Our quarterback was chosen for the all-star team.
consisting entirely of star performers.

an all-star cast.

noun

Sports. a player selected for an all-star team.

all-star British

adjective

(prenominal) consisting of star performers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of all-star

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Las Vegas has hosted NBA all-star events and summer league games, while Women's National Basketball Association side the Aces are also based there.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Your team’s all-star closer misses the strike zone.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

"One Battle After Another" boasts an all-star cast.

From Barron's • Mar. 1, 2026

And just like making a professional basketball team, there are basically two ways to do it: Be an all-star, or an affordable alternative.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

“He might be an all-star quarterback, but it’s not doing him much good this winter.”

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023