renown

1 of 2

noun

re·​nown ri-ˈnau̇n 

1

: a state of being widely acclaimed and highly honored : fame

2

obsolete : report, rumor

renown

2 of 2

verb

renowned; renowning; renowns

transitive verb

: to give renown to

Synonyms of renown

Noun

• fame
• notoriety
• celebrity
• repute
• reputation

Examples of renown in a Sentence

Noun

He achieved great renown for his discoveries.

Her photographs have earned her international renown.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sporting black turtlenecks a la Steve Jobs, Holmes first gained renown and then infamy as the tech was unmasked as fraudulent by the Wall Street Journal and a subsequent federal investigation. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026

Baldwin Lee came to photographic renown pretty late in life, mostly for his in-close-and-intense pictures of small-town Black Southerners made in the 1980s and collected in an epic monograph in 2022. — Baldwin Lee, Curbed, 10 Sep. 2026

Its innovative cutting-edge treatments, some found nowhere else, reaffirm the destination spa’s renown as one of the finest in the nation. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026

Despite her worldwide renown, Dolly Parton resisted award recognition several times in her prolific career. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English renoun, from Anglo-French renum, renoun, from renomer to report, speak of, from re- + nomer to name, from Latin nominare, from nomin-, nomen name — more at name

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing renown

• of renown

Rhymes for renown

• adown
• blowdown
• breakdown
• countdown
• crackdown
• crosstown
• downtown
• drawdown
• dropdown
• facedown
• godown
• hometown

Kids Definition

renown

noun

re·​nown

ri-ˈnau̇n

: a state of being widely known and highly honored : fame