has-been

The Slattery character is a sad-sack has-been living in a garage, unable to get his former colleague even to respond to a text message.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

He had a heart-tugging origin story that saw him transform from a has-been television star into one of the thousands of residents who lost their home in last year’s Palisades fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026

Peet connected to the unease of not knowing how to recognize when one has become a has-been and staying open to whatever life still has to offer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026

It's up to the player, manager, or has-been like myself to make a judgement call in the moment.

From BBC ● Mar. 23, 2026

I hadn’t attained that level of status in my career and at my age, I was already considered a has-been.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

What consequential life experiences have I missed, taunting my eyeballs, indulging this social media imp turned experimental pugilist as he bumbles around the ring with has-beens and never-weres?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025

Leading into Perth, Stokes called the former players who had criticised England's low-key build up as "has-beens" -- and that came back to bite him.

From Barron's ● Nov. 23, 2025

He alienated many in his own profession, calling many fellow academics "dinosaurs", "deadbeats", "fossils" and "has-beens" in his autobiography, Avoid Boring People.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2025

In perhaps the saddest post of the day, a user named Saga mocked up a fantasy poster for the event that featured a murderers’ row of has-beens like Papa Roach, Nickelback, Staind and, yep, Creed.

From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2025

They were only aware that this was where they either went to State, or turned into has-beens as quickly as the golden coach turned into a pumpkin.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger