Skip to main content
hero

hero

11 4.4
A long sandwich filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables
  • noun
  • /ˈhɪəroʊ/
  • US
translation icon : sándwich
  • I got to stop off and get Mimi a hero sandwich and a frozen eclair.
  • hero sandwich
  • Italian hero
  • meatball hero

Examples

  • Next to him, Cooley was eating an Italian hero and drinking a large white coffee.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Did somebody order a hero?

  • Oh, get me a hero!

  • To a New Yorker like you, a hero is some type of weird sandwich.

  • I ate nine pies and a meatball hero in one hour.

  • Everyone had a sandwich in their lap: Whoppers, heroes, Egg McMuffins.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • But if you're building a meal around the bread (say, with sandwiches or heroes), that's where you put your effort.

    Blog text (17)
  • The rich, fatty scent of hamburger, meatloaf sandwich, or meatball hero was always in the air at the Regina and Stanley Farbman International Center for Criminal Justice.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I ordered a turkey and ham hero with all the fixings for lunch.

  • After the game, we celebrated with huge Italian heroes from the deli.

Synonyms

sub
vshero
  • Informal
27 2.8

A long bread roll filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables

is the North American regional label for that sandwich
hoagie
vshero
  • US
11 8.2

A large sandwich on a long roll filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables

is the general North American term for this sandwich type
submarine
vshero
  • US
11 2.7

A long bread roll cut open and filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables

is the North American regional short name for this sandwich
wedge
vshero
  • US
10 8.9

A large sandwich made from a long roll split lengthwise and filled with meat

is the common North American name for the same sandwich type
bomber
vshero
  • US
9 8.3

A large sandwich on a long roll filled with meats and cheese

is the general North American term used outside those cities
grinder
vshero
  • US
6 5.0

A long sandwich filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables

is the North American generic name rather than that regional label
hoagy
vshero
  • US
4 7.7

A large sandwich on a long crusty roll with meat and cheese

is the broader North American name used in formal or neutral contexts
torpedo
vshero
  • Archaic
3 3.2

A long sandwich filled with meat, cheese and salad

is the standard North American term rather than the alternate regional name
submarine sandwich
vshero
  • US
2 2.1

A long bread roll split open and filled with meats, cheese, and salad vegetables

is the regional alternative name used especially in the United States
hero sandwich
vshero
  • US
1 2.8

A large sandwich on a long crusty roll filled with meats, cheese, and vegetables

is the short regional name used widely in North America
zep
vshero
  • US
1 9.9

A large sandwich on a long crusty roll filled with meats, cheese, and lettuce

is the widespread North American name rather than this local term
Italian sandwich
vshero
  • US
2.6

A large sandwich made with a long crusty roll filled with meats, cheese, and vegetables

is the broader North American label without a specific cultural style
poor boy
vshero
  • US
5.3

A large sandwich made from a long crusty roll filled with meat and cheese

is the broader North American label not tied to that region

Idioms

To become successful and respected after being unknown or unsuccessful

Compounds

10 4.2

A person who does important work but is not praised in public

8 2.8

A person in their community admired for brave acts or kind work

A football player many people admire for great skill and big successes

4 5.1

A very strong admiration for a famous person that ignores their faults

1 2.8

A large sandwich on a long crusty roll filled with meats, cheese, and vegetables

hero ball
  • Jargon
1 7.7

A player who tries to win alone in important moments instead of trusting teammates

A person with scars from past battles or hard times who still shows courage

A person admired for important work in art, music, writing, or ideas that change society

barbarian hero
  • Literature
7.9

A strong, rough warrior from an ancient society who is the main character in stories

A person who admires someone too much and without criticism

mythic hero
  • Literature
6.6

A brave person in old stories who does great deeds

How Big

hero
  • US
11 4.4
sandwich
800 1.0

Surface Forms

hero singular
heroes plural

Etymology

Hero for a large sandwich is an American name that began in New York, and a helpful way to remember it is the old joke that you had to be a 'hero' to finish such a big sandwich. So a hero in food means a very large, filling sandwich.