Guest appearances are a common occurrence in the entertainment industry, where a celebrity or an expert in a field comes to appear on a show, movie or event as a guest. However, there are other synonyms that can be used to describe such appearances, and they include special appearances, cameo appearances, guest spots, and featured appearances. Special appearances refer to instances when a guest performer has a significant role in a production, while a cameo appearance is when a guest star makes a brief and often uncredited appearance. Guest spots and featured appearances refer to scheduled appearances by a guest on a show or performance. These words are interchangeable, but they all serve to describe one thing: a guest appearance.