as in award
recognition given to someone who has done something extremely well but who has not won the top honor
They didn't win the science fair competition but were pleased to receive an honorable mention.
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Recent Examples of honorable mention
He was named an honorable mention for All-Big Ten and participated in the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine.
—
Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026
The retailer chose two runner-up dishes and one honorable mention.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026
One of those students is Sophia Kidwell, who won honorable mention for clarinet in 2025.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
He's also improved steadily in college, going from honorable mention all-Western Athletic Conference with San Jose State in 2023 to third-team all-SEC in 2024 and second-team all-SEC last year.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for honorable mention
Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2026
The retailer chose two runner-up dishes and one honorable mention.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Apr. 2026
One of those students is Sophia Kidwell, who won honorable mention for clarinet in 2025.
—Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
He's also improved steadily in college, going from honorable mention all-Western Athletic Conference with San Jose State in 2023 to third-team all-SEC in 2024 and second-team all-SEC last year.
—ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for honorable mention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honorable mention
Noun
-
The Catholic Charities received $11 million from HHS in fiscal year 2025, according to federal spending data, but the award ended as of March 31.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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However, federal law requires that judges review arbitration awards with a high degree of deference and should only vacate them if there’s an extraordinary defect, such as the award was procured by fraud or the arbitrator failed to consider relevant evidence or follow basic legal principles.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The teams will be eyeing more accolades at USRowing Southeast Youth Championships next weekend in Sarasota.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
Her novels have won accolades from the New York Times, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, and Junior Library Guild.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Glaser raved, meaning it as a compliment.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Hawthorne discovered this compliment at a private dinner with Melville at a hotel in Lenox.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Honorable mention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honorable%20mention. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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