honorary

adjective

hon·​or·​ary ˈä-nə-ˌrer-ē How to pronounce honorary (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jamie Drake and Alexa Hampton are honorary chairs for this year’s event in Southampton, which will feature the work of 24 leading interior designers. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 July 2025 LeBron James will serve as honorary co-chair while Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky and Lewis Hamilton are also slated to be co-chairs of the event. Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Colorado legend Hale Irwin will serve as the honorary chairman for The Broadmoor’s latest championship showcase. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 23 June 2025 The 29th edition of the Umbria Film Festival in Italy is kicking off today, and its honorary president, Terry Gilliam, has plenty to say about his long and varied career as filmmaker, funny man and provocateur. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025 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 26 Jul. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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