acclaim

1 of 2

verb

ac·​claim ə-ˈklām How to pronounce acclaim (audio)
acclaimed; acclaiming; acclaims

transitive verb

1
: applaud, praise
Critics acclaimed her performance.
2
: to declare by acclamation
was acclaimed president of the society

intransitive verb

: to shout praise or applause
acclaimer noun

acclaim

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act of acclaiming
2
: praise, applause
She deserves acclaim for all her charitable works.

Examples of acclaim in a Sentence

Verb The critics have acclaimed her performance. she has long been acclaimed by the critics for her realistic acting Noun Her performance in the ballet earned her critical acclaim. She deserves acclaim for all her charitable works.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The show premiered in 2021 and was critically acclaimed, but after the second season arrived the following year, Peacock decided it was done. Esther Zuckerman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 This was French’s first novel outside the Dublin Murder Squad series, the popular and critically acclaimed crime novels that made her name. Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 Time Still Turns the Page is the latest in a stream of small, acclaimed and distinctively Hong Kong productions Cheuk believes have emerged as production numbers and funds have dried up. Mathew Scott, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 Throughout her nearly five decade career, Lange has been acclaimed as one of the greatest of her generation. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 The film, acclaimed for its compelling narrative and stunning visuals, brought Maori stories to a global audience, emphasizing themes of identity, tradition, and resilience. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 This man, of course, is John Galliano, creative director of Dior at the time and, by general consensus, one of the world’s great fashion designers, acclaimed for his theatrical magpie vision and the maximalist joie de vivre of his clothes. Maya Singer, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon is directed by Gibney, 70, who has helmed acclaimed, award-winning documentaries like The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, among others. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 The film about a Black writer who is frustrated with the publishing world has become critically acclaimed. Lisa Respers France, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
The San Diego Symphony’s $85 million Rady Shell at Jacobs Park has earned international acclaim and featured an array of music legends and rising talents since opening in 2021. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024 YouTube Talk To Me is not up for any Oscars this year, despite positive critical acclaim and grossing more than $92 million at the box office worldwide. Brianna Scott, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 The show won him critical and popular acclaim and seemed to signal a move to Hollywood stardom. Clay Risen, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Known as River Café, this charmingly-rustic spot has been a fixture of Calgary’s Prince’s Island Park since the ‘90s—and in the modern era, the restaurant has earned abundant local acclaim for its steadfast devotion to sustainability. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Ed Mell, a Phoenix artist whose renowned and innovative Southwestern landscapes earned him worldwide acclaim, has died. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 Marathe’s innovative cooking earned Stage national acclaim, including a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist nod. Usa Today Network, USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024 Last year was also an unusually busy year for games, with many titles winning critical acclaim. Gene Park, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 In 2010, Assange and WikiLeaks gained international attention, and considerable acclaim, for leaks about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maite Fernández Simon, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acclaim.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed (with assimilation to claim entry 1) from Middle French & Latin; Middle French acclamer, borrowed from Latin acclāmāre "to shout (at or in reaction to), raise an outcry, shout approval," from ad- ad- + clāmāre "to shout" — more at claim entry 1

Noun

derivative of acclaim entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1626, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acclaim was in 1626

Dictionary Entries Near acclaim

Cite this Entry

“Acclaim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acclaim. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

acclaim

1 of 2 verb
ac·​claim ə-ˈklām How to pronounce acclaim (audio)
1
: to welcome with applause or great praise
a novel acclaimed by the critics
2
: to proclaim by or as if by acclamation
acclaimer noun

acclaim

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act of acclaiming
2
Etymology

Verb

from Latin acclamare, literally "to shout at," from ac-, ad- "to, toward" and clamare "to shout" — related to claim, clamor

More from Merriam-Webster on acclaim

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