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Synonyms

honorable mention

American  

noun

  1. a citation conferred on a contestant, exhibit, etc., having exceptional merit though not winning a top honor or prize.


Etymology

Origin of honorable mention

First recorded in 1865–70

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.

See Examples For:

Her reporting on Trump’s efforts to profit from the presidency was recognized with an honorable mention from the Sabew Best in Business Awards.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 28, 2026

“A 2013 All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection, Mauro was an integral part of four bowl teams, helping lead Stanford to a pair of Rose Bowl Game appearances,” the team wrote.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 29, 2026

Jesse is part of a WSJ team that won a Sabew honorable mention for coverage of America’s rising grocery prices in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 28, 2026

Those stories also earned the New York Press Club's 2021 award for spot news and an honorable mention from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 24, 2026

They were announcing the winners: honorable mention, third prize, second—first.

From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck

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