prom queen

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A girl or young woman chosen as the most popular or best-dressed at a high-school prom.

   Grammar: Countable; use 'a prom queen' or 'the prom queen' for the title holder, and 'prom queens' for more than one.

   Patterns

   • be elected prom queen
   • be crowned prom queen
   • the prom queen

   She was voted prom queen by her classmates in her senior year.

   Everyone cheered when the principal announced the prom queen.

   He asked the prom queen to dance, and she said yes.

2. 2nouncountablefigurative

   A person, especially a woman, seen as the most popular or admired in a group.

   Grammar: Often used figuratively with 'the' to mean the most admired person in a social circle.

   Patterns

   • the prom queen of something
   • be treated like a prom queen

   In the office, she is the prom queen of the sales team.

   He acted like the prom queen of the neighborhood, greeting everyone with a wave.

Word forms

Common combinations

be crowned prom queen

At the end of the dance, she was crowned prom queen.

be elected prom queen

He was surprised when his friends elected him prom queen as a joke.

the prom queen title

Winning the prom queen title made her instantly famous at school.

prom queen nominee

Each prom queen nominee had to give a short speech.

Synonyms and how they differ

homecoming queen

Similar title but given at a homecoming dance or football game, not at a prom.

beauty queen

Refers to a winner of a beauty contest, which is a different, more formal event.

Commonly confused: prom queen or prom king?

Practice

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