honor

[ on-er ]

See synonyms for: honor honored honoring honors on Thesaurus.com

noun

honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: a man of honor.
a source of credit or distinction: to be an honor to one's family.

high respect, as for worth, merit, or rank: to be held in honor.
such respect manifested: a memorial in honor of the dead.
high public esteem; fame; glory: He has earned his position of honor.
the privilege of being associated with or receiving a favor from a respected person, group, organization, etc.: I had the honor of serving on the Pulitzer Prize jury. It is an honor to introduce this evening's speaker.
Usually honors. evidence, as a special ceremony, decoration, scroll, or title, of high rank, dignity, or distinction: political honors;military honors.
Honor, a deferential title of respect, especially for judges and mayors (preceded by His, Her, Your, etc.).
honors,
- special rank or distinction conferred by a university, college, or school upon a student for eminence in scholarship or success in some particular subject.
- an advanced course of study for superior students.: Compare honors course.
especially historically, chastity or purity in a woman.
Also called honor card. Cards.
- Bridge. any of the five highest trump cards, as an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten in the trump suit, or any of the four aces in a no-trump contract.: Compare honor trick.
- Whist. any of the four highest trump cards, as an ace, king, queen, or jack in the trump suit.
Golf. the privilege of teeing off before the other player or side, given after the first hole to the player or side that won the previous hole.

verb (used with object)

to hold in honor or high respect; revere: to honor one's parents.
to treat with honor.

to confer honor or distinction upon: The university honored her with its leadership award.
to worship, glorify, or serve (a deity): Believers honor Hanuman as the embodiment of strength and courage.May he grow to be a man who loves and honors God.
to show a courteous regard for: to honor an invitation.
Commerce. to accept or pay (a draft, check, etc.): All credit cards are honored here.
to accept as valid and conform to the request or demands of (an official document).
(in square dancing) to meet or salute with a bow.

adjective

of, relating to, or noting honor.

Idioms about honor

be on / upon one's honor, to accept and acknowledge personal responsibility for one's actions: West Point cadets are on their honor not to cheat on an exam.
do honor to,
- to show respect to.
- to be a credit to: Such good students would do honor to any teacher.

do the honors, to serve or preside as host, as in introducing people, or carving or serving at table: Father did the honors at the family Thanksgiving dinner.

Origin of honor

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English noun (h)onour, (h)onor, from Old French (h)onor, onur, from Latin honōr- (stem of honor, earlier honōs); verb ultimately derivative of the noun

Also especially British, hon·our .

synonym study For honor

1. Honor, honesty, integrity, sincerity refer to the highest moral principles and the absence of deceit or fraud. Honor denotes a fine sense of, and a strict conformity to, what is considered morally right or due: a high sense of honor; on one's honor. Honesty denotes the presence of probity and particularly the absence of deceit or fraud, especially in business dealings: uncompromising honesty and trustworthiness. Integrity indicates a soundness of moral principle that no power or influence can impair: a man of unquestioned integrity and dependability. Sincerity implies absence of dissimulation or deceit, and a strong adherence to truth: His sincerity was evident in every word. 3. Honor, consideration, distinction refer to the regard in which one is held by others. Honor suggests a combination of liking and respect: His colleagues held him in great honor. Consideration suggests honor because of proved worth: a man worthy of the highest consideration. Distinction suggests particular honor because of qualities or accomplishments: She achieved distinction as a violinist at an early age.

Other words for honor

1	probity, uprightness
3	deference, homage; reverence, veneration
5	distinction
13	esteem, venerate

See synonyms for honor on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for honor

1	dishonor, dishonesty

See antonyms for honor on Thesaurus.com

Other words from honor

hon·or·er, noun
hon·or·less, adjective
o·ver·hon·or, verb (used with object)
re·hon·or, verb (used with object)
self-hon·ored, adjective
un·hon·ored, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use honor in a sentence

Check out the video above to see Shirley’s surprise and learn more about the stories of all those who were honored in the Community Change Maker category.
WATCH: ‘Beauty 2 The Streetz’ Founder Shirley Raines Gets The Surprise Of A Lifetime | Rachaell Davis | November 20, 2020 | Essence.com
Among other honors, Perez has been awarded with the Dart Award for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma, the National Headliner Award and Best of the West Awards.
ProPublica Selects Six Journalists for Distinguished Fellows Program | by ProPublica | November 16, 2020 | ProPublica
To critics, the idea that a statue honoring a trailblazing feminist includes the body of a naked woman is, understandably, infuriating.
We are slowly getting more statues to honor great women—but why are some of them naked? | kristenlbellstrom | November 13, 2020 | Fortune
When they talk about eventually visiting the memorial, Bradley uses the word “honor,” and Regina pauses between her words to hold back tears.
Behind a national memorial for Native American veterans, stories of slow loss, swift change and boots two sizes too big | Theresa Vargas | November 11, 2020 | Washington Post
“Proponents for a better deal than Faulconer’s have always said these labor contracts will be honored,” Powers said.
What a Delayed Energy Contract Means for San Diego | MacKenzie Elmer | November 11, 2020 | Voice of San Diego

He was part of an extreme, racialized white faction in the Louisiana state house that was clearly dead-set against honoring King.
Steve Scalise and the Right’s Ridiculous Racial Blame Game | Michael Tomasky | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Followers had traveled many miles to mourn the loss, and aid in the ritual washing, dressing, and honoring of the body.
Jail Threats for Sierra Leone Ebola Victims’ Families | Abby Haglage | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But this week, even as a new cabinet was sworn in, the Houthis showed no signs of honoring their commitment to demobilize.
Yemen’s a Model All Right—For Disaster | Michael Shank , Casey Harrity | November 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But it seems to be as if archaeology is, in some sense, about honoring the losers' story, too, right?
The Real-Life Raiders of the Lost Ark | Alex Belth | November 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The honorees have included some of those among us who were most worth honoring.
It’s Time for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Get a Parade of Their Own | Michael Daly | November 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
On the eleventh, also, the Board of Trade met and resolved to require the honoring of all contracts.
Ocean to Ocean on Horseback | Willard Glazier
Similarly honoring the wise, swearing by God's name, and not to swear falsely—all these lead to a firm belief in God's greatness.
A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy | Isaac Husik
I am not honoring men for their belief, nor blaming men who doubt or deny.
Speeches, Addresses, and Occasional Sermons, Volume 2 (of 3) | Theodore Parker
We, the survivors and descendants, have buckled on the armor of faithfulness and are honoring the memory of our martyred heroes.
Historic Papers on the Causes of the Civil War | Mrs. Eugenia Dunlap Potts
His reputation had gone before him, and the very best men in our land honored themselves in honoring Christopher Carson.
Christopher Carson | John S. C. Abbott

British Dictionary definitions for honor

honor

/ (ˈɒnə) /

noun, verb

the US spelling of honour

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with honor

honor

In addition to the idiom beginning with honor

honor bound

also see:

do the honors
in honor of
on one's honor
word of honor

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