renown
Americannoun
-
widespread and high repute; fame.
- Synonyms:
- eminence, note, distinction, glory, celebrity
-
Obsolete. report or rumor.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of renown
1300–50; Middle English renoun < Anglo-French; Old French renom, derivative of renomer to make famous < Latin re- re- + nōmināre to name
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How does renown compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Renown is fame and acclaim — the kind of celebrity that most people only dream about. Renown is not only about celebrity, though; it also means being highly respected in one's field. Actors, musicians, and artists practice their art, sometimes for many years, to gain the kind of renown, or fame, that will launch their faces onto the covers of magazines and make their name known in every household. Greta Garbo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Salvador Dali all became renowned in their respective fields. They won numerous awards, and who isn't familiar with their names? Even things or places can achieve renown if they offer something worth celebrating. An ice cream parlor can become renowned for its incredible mint chip ice cream, or a bank can be renowned for its excellent customer service.
Vocabulary lists containing renown
Hamilton
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Stopped by to see kids/superheroes, first responders and doctors, nurses and staff at Renown hospital," he posted on social media.
From BBC • Jan. 1, 2024
“The Nutcracker Suite,” originally arranged for Les Brown and his Band of Renown by Frank Comstock, wasn’t the only time that the Brian Setzer Orchestra dabbled in classical rearrangements.
From New York Times • Dec. 20, 2023
When the AQI rises above 150, Dr. Farah Madhani-Lovely, a pulmonologist, said Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno shuts its outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation clinic because it doesn’t want to encourage patients to drive in.
From Scientific American • Oct. 14, 2022
Some of my favorites are Maureen, marble white; Menton, rose-pink with soft orange edges; Queen of Night, deep purple-black; Renown, a fuchsia pink with intense flaming, and Kingsblood, a dark cherry red.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 11, 2021
The Renown did the 1,651 miles in three days, and very uncomfortable days they were.
From Down Under With the Prince by Duncan, Sara Jeannette
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
