one-trick pony

noun

: one that is skilled in only one area
also : one that has success only once

Examples of one-trick pony in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mom wanted to be seen as more than a one-trick pony. Angela Andaloro, People.com, 26 June 2025 Drafting and developing carries the most weight in this exercise, but the Stars aren’t a one-trick pony. Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 6 Aug. 2024 Milburn is more than just a one-trick pony, though. Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025 However, Rodón noted that the right-handed Cruz is not a one-trick pony. Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for one-trick pony

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of one-trick pony was in 1980

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Cite this Entry

“One-trick pony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/one-trick%20pony. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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