A king, queen or other leader of a people who embarks on a quest or defeats or vanquishes a great evil for the general welfare of his/her followers and realm. Often synonymous with the Arthurian hero.

One who does great deeds but receives little or no recognition for them.

Real people are as capable of being heroic as fictional superheroes.

It is unwise to seek personal acquaintance with people whom one has regarded with high esteem, as they often fail to fulfill one's expectations, resulting in disappointment.

(Britain, informal) An ordinary member of the public who intervenes, often at personal risk, to stop a troublemaker, hooligan or ne'er-do-well in the act of committing a crime.

You should not idolize specific people (particularly celebrities), as this will distort your perception of those you idolize.

Alternative form of never meet your heroes

(idiomatic) To change from a negative to a positive outcome; to improve one's fortunes significantly. / (idiomatic) To become very popular after being unpopular.

(obsolete) A heroine; a female hero.

plural of heroess