renown
Americannoun
-
widespread and high repute; fame.
- Synonyms:
- eminence, note, distinction, glory, celebrity
-
Obsolete. report or rumor.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of renown
1300–50; Middle English renoun < Anglo-French; Old French renom, derivative of renomer to make famous < Latin re- re- + nōmināre to name
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Explanation
Renown is fame and acclaim — the kind of celebrity that most people only dream about. Renown is not only about celebrity, though; it also means being highly respected in one's field. Actors, musicians, and artists practice their art, sometimes for many years, to gain the kind of renown, or fame, that will launch their faces onto the covers of magazines and make their name known in every household. Greta Garbo, Luciano Pavarotti, and Salvador Dali all became renowned in their respective fields. They won numerous awards, and who isn't familiar with their names? Even things or places can achieve renown if they offer something worth celebrating. An ice cream parlor can become renowned for its incredible mint chip ice cream, or a bank can be renowned for its excellent customer service.
Vocabulary lists containing renown
Hamilton
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Bob Dylan's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
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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.
Recognition of their "outstanding universal value" brings international renown and commits authorities to work toward their preservation.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Branded as Princeton research, the paper’s influence continued to expand, boosting the university program’s renown and Pacala and Socolow’s stature.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
As exhibitions, books and retrospectives built his renown, Hockney increasingly relied on travel—to Paris and elsewhere—so he could work undisturbed before friends and others crowded his schedule.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Now, for that renown football reporter who showed up in his living room.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2026
‘You are a stern lord and resolute,’ she said; ‘and thus do men win renown.’
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
