has-been

has-been

A person who is no longer admired, famous, or popular. The young actor constantly sought media attention because he feared becoming a has-been too early in his career. You're not even a has-been, you're a never-was! I don't know why they overpaid for that has-been—he hasn't played well since the early days of his career.

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

has

see under have.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

has-been

(ˈhæzbɪn)

1. n. someone who used to be important; a person whose career has ended. Marty is just a has-been. There’s no future for him.

2. mod. former; burnt-out. Some has-been singer croaked through “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.