a status symbol

status symbol

Something, especially that which is very expensive and flashy, that someone owns and displays as a means of showing of their wealth or success. In this part of the city, expensive sneakers and designer sweatshirts are the real status symbols. Nothing says "status symbol" like a single person buying a 25,000 square foot mansion all for themselves.
See also: status, symbol
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a ˈstatus symbol

an expensive possession which shows people that you are rich: These cars are regarded as status symbols in Britain.
See also: status, symbol
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • status symbol
  • symbol
  • wealth
  • wealth of
  • a wealth of (something)
  • a walking
  • a walking (something)
  • bling, bling-bling
  • bling-bling
  • conspicuous consumption
References in periodicals archive
Summary: Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Sep 5 (ANI): On the occasion of 'Lucknow Metro Diwas', Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday asserted that with the Metro Rail service becoming a status symbol, his government along with the Narendra Modi-led Centre will make efforts to bring the services to more cities in the state.
Metro is not just a better transport system for the public, but also a status symbol (to people) that our city is a metro city.
Metro will be available in more cities: Adityanath
The collection of gold artifacts in the Ayala Museum is a glittering reminder of a time when gold was a status symbol in ancient Philippines.
What makes smartphones powerful as a status symbol is that with enough perseverance, most people can actually afford them, unlike brand-new cars or multistory houses.
The smartphone as status symbol
It also emerged that more than one in 10 British people have bought a status symbol to appear more well off than they really are.
Success is.. an iPad and a convertible
They simply purchase a status symbol. A status symbol is something that indicates the social status of its owner.
Status symbols
In comparison, young people do not consider a pension a sign of personal wealth, only seven per cent of people in their teens and 12 per cent of those in their 20s view retirement savings as a status symbol.
Personal Finance: Status symbols? I'll take the cash, thank you . .
With gold credit cards more widely available, just 22 per cent of respondents said a gold card was a status symbol - but it is still more highly regarded than a Harrods store card.
First-class aspirations to status