acclamation

noun

ac·​cla·​ma·​tion ˌa-klə-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce acclamation (audio)
1
: a loud eager expression of approval, praise, or assent
2
: an overwhelming affirmative vote by cheers, shouts, or applause rather than by ballot

Did you know?

Approval can come from a single person, but acclamation requires a larger audience. An acclaimed movie is widely praised, and critical acclaim can lead to box-office success. When a popular proposal comes up in a legislature, the speaker may ask that it be passed "by acclamation", which means that everyone just gets to yell and cheer in approval and no one bothers counting the votes at all.

Examples of acclamation in a Sentence

Her performance in the ballet earned her thunderous applause and shouts of acclamation from the audience. She has earned worldwide acclamation for her charitable works.
Recent Examples on the Web The delegates shouted their approval of the platform on Monday, by acclamation. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 17 July 2024 Vance's nomination will not get a roll call vote and will instead be approved by acclamation. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 16 July 2024 The bill will then be subjected to a third and final vote by acclamation on the floor of the house. Fox News, 25 June 2024 But no crescendo of acclamation greeted Modi’s swearing in on June 10. Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for acclamation 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acclamation.' 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

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French acclamacion, borrowed from Latin acclāmātiōn-, acclāmātiō, from acclāmāre "to acclaim entry 1" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acclamation was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near acclamation

Cite this Entry

“Acclamation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acclamation. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

acclamation

noun
ac·​cla·​ma·​tion ˌak-lə-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce acclamation (audio)
1
: a loud eager expression of approval, praise, or agreement
2
: an overwhelming positive vote by voice
elected by acclamation

More from Merriam-Webster on acclamation

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!