noun
showstopper
noun
1
A moment in a performance so impressive that it draws a huge audience reaction.
"Her final solo was the showstopper everyone talked about after the concert."
2
A problem serious enough to halt progress on something, especially a critical software bug.
"The team delayed the release after finding a showstopper bug in the checkout flow."
"A single missing permit turned into a showstopper for the whole project."
How to Use Showstopper
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a spectacular highlight of a performance, or a problem serious enough to stop everything.
Common pairings
showstopper bug
showstopper performance
Word Forms
showstoppers plural
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Her final solo was the _____ everyone talked about after the concert.
Etymology
From show + stopper.