honor roll

American  

noun

• honor rolls
  plural

1. a list of students who have earned grades above a specific average during a semester or school year.

2. a list of names, usually on a plaque in a public place, of local citizens who have served or died in the armed services.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• honor rolls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of honor roll

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

honor roll

His grades have fluctuated wildly; he made the honor roll when the iPad was briefly removed, only to slide back as his school-day viewing surged to as much as 240 minutes in a single day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

“He had to go against the best defenses every night. I’m proud of him. He brought this program to the Division I level. He was on honor roll every year.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026

Not long ago, I learned that my former student, now in high school, had made the honor roll.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025

When one of the kids made honor roll, they’d celebrate at Dave & Buster’s.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2025

At the start of sixth grade, my parents had promised me a tablet if I made the honor roll all year.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas