starry

IPA/ˈstɑːri/
KK[stˈɑrˌi]IPA/ˈstɑːri/

starry — adjective

  • starrypositive
  • starriercomparative
  • starriestsuperlative

1. (of the sky or night) filled with many stars that are bright and clearly visible

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

(of the sky or night) filled with many stars that are bright and clearly visible in the darkness.

Example

The children slept outside under a beautiful starry sky.

collocation: starry sky

On a clear starry night, Sayaka could see the Milky Way from her window.

collocation: starry night

Common collocations
  • starry sky
  • starry night
  • starry evening
  • starry heavens
Synonyms
  • starlit

    emphasises that the scene is lit by stars; more poetic and slightly narrower in use

  • star-studded

    can describe a sky full of stars, but much more common in figurative use for celebrity events

Antonyms
  • cloudy

    describes a sky where clouds hide the stars

  • overcast

    describes a sky fully covered by clouds with no stars visible

Grammar Patterns

starry + noun (night/sky)

be + starry (predicative)

Usage Note

Most commonly used to describe the sky or the night as a whole. Frequently appears in descriptive or poetic writing about the outdoors.

Common Mistakes

There were many starries in the sky.
The sky was starry.
'starry' is an adjective, not a noun; do not use it as a countable noun to mean 'stars.'

2. (disapproving) behaving as if you deserve the special attention, privileges, and

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

(disapproving) behaving as if you deserve the special attention, privileges, and luxurious treatment that famous people receive, often in a way that annoys others.

Example

The producer refused to work with actors who had a starry attitude on set.

collocation: starry attitude

Chidi could not stand the singer's starry demands for a private jet and five-star hotels.

collocation: starry demands

Common collocations
  • starry attitude
  • starry demands
  • starry behaviour
  • starry expectations
Synonyms
  • diva-like

    more direct and commonly used in entertainment contexts; can be used both attributively and predicatively

  • pretentious

    broader in meaning — refers to anyone trying to appear more important than they are, not only entertainment figures

Antonyms
  • humble

    describes someone who does not think they deserve special treatment

  • modest

    describes someone who does not show off or demand privileges

Grammar Patterns

starry + noun (attitude/demands/behaviour)

starry + noun (expectations/ways)

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (attributive position). Carries a clear negative judgement — describes someone who is demanding beyond what is reasonable. More common in British English than American English.

Common Mistakes

She is very starry today.
She has a starry attitude.
This sense is attributive only; 'starry' does not work as a predicative adjective with this meaning.

3. having the shape of a star, or shining and sparkling in a way that looks like a

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

having the shape of a star, or shining and sparkling in a way that looks like a star.

Example

Élise wore a pair of starry earrings that caught the light as she moved.

The starry pattern on the ceiling made the children's bedroom feel magical.

collocation: starry pattern

Common collocations
  • starry pattern
  • starry earrings
  • starry sprinkles
  • starry eyes
  • starry reflection
Synonyms
  • star-shaped

    only refers to shape, not sparkle; less poetic than 'starry'

  • sparkling

    emphasises the light-catching quality rather than the star-like shape

  • twinkling

    suggests intermittent flashes of light, like stars in the sky

Grammar Patterns

starry + noun (pattern/earrings/eyes)

be + starry (predicative)

Usage Note

Can describe both literal star-shaped objects (earrings, sprinkles, patterns) and figurative sparkling brightness (eyes, reflections). The figurative use ('starry eyes') overlaps with the separate compound adjective 'starry-eyed,' which carries a more specific meaning of naively optimistic.

Common Mistakes

The sky was starry with diamonds.
The starry surface of the lake reflected the lights.
Avoid using 'starry' to describe objects that are simply decorated with small star symbols; use 'star-shaped' or 'star-patterned' instead for purely decorative contexts.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Starry (sense 1) describes a sky or night filled with many visible stars. Starlit is more poetic and narrower — it focuses on the light the stars give (a starlit path) rather than how many stars there are. Star-studded is versatile: it can describe the sky literally but is far more common in figurative contexts (a star-studded cast = one with many famous actors). Stellar is the most formal and academic of the group; it relates to stars scientifically (stellar astronomy) or metaphorically (a stellar performance = an excellent one). For everyday descriptions of a clear night, 'starry' is the natural choice: 'We sat outside under a starry sky and watched for shooting stars.' If you want to highlight the soft light the stars cast, use 'starlit': 'They walked home along a starlit road.'

starlit ↗star-studded ↗stellar ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • starry night
  • starry sky
  • starry evening

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Starry was formed in English by adding the adjective suffix -y (meaning 'full of' or 'characterised by') to the noun star, which comes from the Old English word steorra. The structure is identical to other common adjectives like rainy, cloudy, and windy — all describing something full of or covered with the base noun. The earliest recorded uses date back to the 1300s, and the word has been used for both literal descriptions of the night sky and figurative meanings ever since.