celebrated

American  

[sel-uh-brey-tid] / ˈsɛl əˌbreɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. renowned; well-known.

   the celebrated authors of best-selling books.

   Synonyms:

   lionized, honored, notable, noted, illustrious

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celebrated British  

/ ˈsɛlɪˌbreɪtɪd /

adjective

1. (usually prenominal) famous

   a celebrated pianist

   a celebrated trial

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Related Words

See famous.

Other Word Forms

• celebratedness noun
• uncelebrated adjective
• well-celebrated adjective

Etymology

Origin of celebrated

First recorded in 1540–50; celebrate + -ed ²

Explanation

If something is celebrated, it's famous. Your town's celebrated restaurant — the one everybody knows and talks about — might be a modest barbecue joint. A celebrated writer is an important, well-known one, like Ernest Hemingway or Maya Angelou. In your family, a celebrated figure might be the cousin who visits every summer and tells the best stories. As long as someone is talked about and revered by a group of people, they're celebrated. This adjective comes from the verb celebrate and its Latin root celebrare, "to sing praises of."

Example Sentences

Rothman celebrated the progress, but noted that sales have not yet reached pre-pandemic levels.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

“The home has since nurtured three generations of artists, remaining a beloved gathering spot for Greenwich Village’s most celebrated creative minds,” the listing adds.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

To see L.A.’s newest architectural monument in effect is to experience people being celebrated.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

BUDAPEST—The man who finally defeated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán celebrated his victory Sunday night by marching through crowds of supporters waving the national flag to Frank Sinatra’s signature song, “My Way.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Burns, a former Secret Service agent, had succeeded Pinkerton as the world’s most celebrated private eye.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann