honorary

adjective

hon·​or·​ary ˈä-nə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce honorary (audio)
Synonyms of honorarynext
1
a
: having or conferring distinction
an honorary engineering society
b
: commemorative
an honorary plaque
2
: dependent on honor or a keen sense of ethical conduct for fulfillment
an honorary obligation
3
a
: conferred or elected in recognition of achievement or service without the usual prerequisites or obligations
an honorary degree
an honorary member
b
: unpaid, voluntary
an honorary chairman
honorarily adverb
honorary noun

Examples of honorary in a Sentence

He was awarded an honorary degree. He's an honorary member of the club. He is the honorary president of the commission.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Only three of them consistently performed on record and in concert, but at least a dozen more were honorary members who attended formal band meetings and were granted as much say in its direction and philosophy as those who actually played the instruments. Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026 Actor Kurt Russell will serve as the honorary pace car driver and Texas singer Miranda Lambert will perform a concert prior to the race. Katey Psencik, Austin American Statesman, 15 Feb. 2026 The 21-year-old Ware was drafted onto Team T-Mac, with Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady serving as the honorary coach. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 15 Feb. 2026 Michelle Yeoh is wincing at the thought of collecting her honorary Golden Bear here in Berlin. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for honorary

Word History

Etymology

Latin honorarius, from honor

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of honorary was in 1606

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Honorary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honorary. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

honorary

adjective
hon·​or·​ary ˈän-ə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce honorary (audio)
1
: given or done as a sign of honor
an honorary degree
2
: voluntary entry 1 sense 1, unpaid
honorary president
honorarily adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on honorary

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