acclaim
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to welcome or salute with shouts or sounds of joy and approval; applaud.
to acclaim the conquering heroes.
-
to announce or proclaim with enthusiastic approval.
to acclaim the new king.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
(tr) to acknowledge publicly the excellence of (a person, act, etc)
-
to salute with cheering, clapping, etc; applaud
-
(tr) to acknowledge publicly that (a person) has (some position, quality, etc)
they acclaimed him king
noun
Other Word Forms
- acclaimer noun
- reacclaim verb (used with object)
- unacclaimed adjective
Etymology
Origin of acclaim
From the Latin word acclāmāre, dating back to 1630–40. See ac-, claim
Explanation
You know you've hit it big when you earn acclaim, or enthusiastic approval. And when you have achieved "critical acclaim," even the grouchy critics approve of you. The word acclaim comes from the Latin word acclamare, which means to cry out. So it only makes sense that the verb acclaim means to offer enthusiastic praise or applause. "The book was critically acclaimed, but most of the students found it to be stupefyingly boring."
Vocabulary lists containing acclaim
Essential English Vocabulary, List 1
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The Unteachables
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The Crossover
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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.
The author won widespread acclaim with novels such as Under The Net, The Black Prince and The Sea, the Sea, as well as philosophical essays exploring morality.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
"Hacks" hit HBO Max in May 2021 to widespread critical acclaim.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
It certainly also helps that chicken thighs, by wide acclaim, are more difficult to cluck up in the kitchen.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
Both won critical acclaim and, to a degree, commercial success.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
Jack started to protest but the clamor changed from the general wish for a chief to an election by acclaim of Ralph himself.
From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding
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.
