Idioms

a status symbol

status symbol

Something, especially that which is very expensive and flashy, that someone owns and displays as a means of showing of their wealth or success. In this part of the city, expensive sneakers and designer sweatshirts are the real status symbols. Nothing says "status symbol" like a single person buying a 25,000 square foot mansion all for themselves.
See also: status, symbol
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a ˈstatus symbol

an expensive possession which shows people that you are rich: These cars are regarded as status symbols in Britain.
See also: status, symbol
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
References in periodicals archive
Summary: Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Sep 5 (ANI): On the occasion of 'Lucknow Metro Diwas', Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday asserted that with the Metro Rail service becoming a status symbol, his government along with the Narendra Modi-led Centre will make efforts to bring the services to more cities in the state.
Metro is not just a better transport system for the public, but also a status symbol (to people) that our city is a metro city.
The collection of gold artifacts in the Ayala Museum is a glittering reminder of a time when gold was a status symbol in ancient Philippines.
What makes smartphones powerful as a status symbol is that with enough perseverance, most people can actually afford them, unlike brand-new cars or multistory houses.
It also emerged that more than one in 10 British people have bought a status symbol to appear more well off than they really are.
They simply purchase a status symbol. A status symbol is something that indicates the social status of its owner.
In comparison, young people do not consider a pension a sign of personal wealth, only seven per cent of people in their teens and 12 per cent of those in their 20s view retirement savings as a status symbol.
With gold credit cards more widely available, just 22 per cent of respondents said a gold card was a status symbol - but it is still more highly regarded than a Harrods store card.
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