renowned 1 of 2

renowned

2 of 2

verb

past tense of renown

Synonym Chooser

How is the word renowned different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of renowned are celebrated, distinguished, eminent, famous, illustrious, noted, and notorious. While all these words mean "known far and wide," renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

In what contexts can celebrated take the place of renowned?

In some situations, the words celebrated and renowned are roughly equivalent. However, celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

When might distinguished be a better fit than renowned?

While the synonyms distinguished and renowned are close in meaning, distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

When is it sensible to use eminent instead of renowned?

The synonyms eminent and renowned are sometimes interchangeable, but eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

When is famous a more appropriate choice than renowned?

The words famous and renowned are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

When can illustrious be used instead of renowned?

Although the words illustrious and renowned have much in common, illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

When would noted be a good substitute for renowned?

While in some cases nearly identical to renowned, noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

How do notorious and famous relate to one another, in the sense of renowned?

Notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

Examples of renowned in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
The renowned Cloud 9 surf break is just 15 minutes from the hotel on foot. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2024 Meditations On Form The Bermuda National Gallery proudly showcases a stunning jewelry collection by Bermudian native and renowned jeweler Melanie Eddy. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 24 Oct. 2024 The city is renowned for its sport fishing and is home to many species, including marlin, snapper, dolphinfish, yellowfin tuna and more. Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024 The chief quickly obliged, galloping toward the soldiers with two of his most renowned warriors, Spotted Tail and Iron Shell. Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for renowned 

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

Thesaurus Entries Near renowned

Cite this Entry

“Renowned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/renowned. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on renowned

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!