honoree
Americannoun
Usage
What is an honoree? An honoree is a person who receives some type of honor or award, often during a special event. To be honored is to be held in high respect by others. If you are an honoree, you are receiving recognition for something you’ve done that’s seen as exceptional or outstanding. At a graduation party held to celebrate your graduation from school, you would be the honoree. At a dinner held to celebrate a businessperson who donated a large sum of money to a charity, the businessperson is the honoree. At award shows like the Academy Awards, people who receive the awards are the honorees. Honorees are any group of people who are being celebrated for their accomplishments or behavior. Example: At this time, I ask that tonight’s honorees please stand up.
Etymology
Origin of honoree
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.
Stier, director of children’s services and an “I Love My Librarian Award” honoree, launched the Activating Community Voices program, which joins stakeholders together to address issues including food insecurity, homelessness and early childhood development.
From Salon ● Apr. 26, 2026
The 2019 Kennedy Center honoree, a protege of the late Leonard Bernstein, was a gifted pianist known for his exuberant compositions and ability to break down musical genres, particularly his dynamic interpretations of Gustav Mahler.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
Glass, a 2018 Kennedy Center honoree, composed his symphony partially based on Lincoln’s 1838 Lyceum address.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
The latest honoree on a Topps baseball card wouldn’t pass the Yankees’ once-stringent facial hair rules.
From Slate ● Aug. 29, 2025
In lieu of cake and gifts, we would pool our food and present an extra slice of bread or cup of coffee to the birthday honoree.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
