1
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon
2
a
: widely recognized and well-established
an iconic brand name
b
: widely known and acknowledged especially for distinctive excellence
an iconic writer
a region's iconic wines
Did you know?
The original meaning of iconic was essentially "resembling an icon," but today it often describes what is so admired that it could be the subject of an icon. And with that use, iconic has become part of the language of advertising and publicity: companies and magazines and TV hosts encourage us to think of some consumer item or pop star or show as first-rate or immortal or flawless—absolutely "iconic"—when that person or thing is actually simply widely known and—they assert—distinctively excellent.
Examples of iconic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Times Square's iconic ball drop may be a New Year's Eve tradition, but some occasions, like America's 250th, call for a second drop.
—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
The iconic Times Square ball in New York City will descend on a date other than New Year's Eve for the first time as part of a historic Independence Day celebration marking America's 250th birthday.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Project Purple is being built about two years after the demolition of Kingda Ka, the park's iconic launch coaster that stood 456 feet tall before it was removed in early 2025.
—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
Now, the global pop star and Kansas City Chiefs tight end are set to exchange vows during the Fourth of July weekend at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City.
—
Allison Degrushe,
StyleCaster,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for iconic
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.
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
3 July 2026
The iconic Times Square ball in New York City will descend on a date other than New Year's Eve for the first time as part of a historic Independence Day celebration marking America's 250th birthday.
—
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Project Purple is being built about two years after the demolition of Kingda Ka, the park's iconic launch coaster that stood 456 feet tall before it was removed in early 2025.
—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
Now, the global pop star and Kansas City Chiefs tight end are set to exchange vows during the Fourth of July weekend at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City.
—
Allison Degrushe,
StyleCaster,
2 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for iconic
Cite this Entry
“Iconic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/iconic. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
