showstopper
/ˈʃəʊˌstɒp.ə/ IELTSAcademic
noun
Something so impressive, beautiful, or surprising that people stop and notice it. It can also mean a problem so serious that it stops success or progress.
- Her red dress was a real showstopper.
- That typo was a showstopper for the report.
Adinary Nuance
Showstopper is stronger than words like "attention-grabber" or "highlight" when something is especially striking. It can be positive, like a stunning outfit, or negative, like a deal-breaking problem. In business writing, it often means a serious issue that must be fixed first. That makes it different from "problem," which is much more general.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- Điểm nhấn
- Spanish
- Atractivo principal
- Chinese
- 亮点
- Japanese
- 目玉
- Korean
- 하이라이트
Etymology
Showstopper comes from theatre. It first described a performance so good that the audience stopped the show with applause. Later, it also came to mean a serious problem that stops something from working.
Common phrases
a real showstopperthe showstopper of the nighta showstopper issue
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is showstopper a positive or negative word?
- It can be both. It is positive for something impressive, and negative for a serious problem.
- Is showstopper used in business writing?
- Yes, especially for a problem that can stop a project, deal, or launch.
- What is the difference between showstopper and highlight?
- A highlight is simply an important part. A showstopper is more dramatic and harder to ignore.