1
as in commendations
a formal expression of praise
for their exceptional bravery the firefighters received accolades from both local and national officials
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in acclaim
public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement
winning the Nobel Prize for Physics is generally regarded as the highest accolade for a physicist
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in awards
something given in recognition of achievement
a screen performance that won virtually every accolade that the film world has to offer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of accolades
For business owners, Townshend’s bold decision and ensuing success, including among other accolades a spot on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s, offers an instructive guide to self-belief.
—
Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Today, Morales is not only selling raw cacao to Cortés but also winning international accolades.
—Sandra Guzman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
As the hits started to mount, so too did the accolades.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Add proud father of one to the list of accolades for Allen.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
There are no such accolades awarded in the annals of NIMBYism, but if there were, few would compete with Chicago’s North Shore suburbs.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
News such as this is often what makes the role one of the hardest in the British media — THR took a look at his accolades last week.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Her novels have won accolades from the New York Times, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, and Junior Library Guild.
—Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Machado went on to enjoy a long career in avant-garde theater, garnering accolades for his striking and magnetic stage presence, despite his modest claims otherwise.
—News Desk, Artforum, 30 Mar. 2026
Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Today, Morales is not only selling raw cacao to Cortés but also winning international accolades.
—Sandra Guzman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
As the hits started to mount, so too did the accolades.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026
Add proud father of one to the list of accolades for Allen.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
There are no such accolades awarded in the annals of NIMBYism, but if there were, few would compete with Chicago’s North Shore suburbs.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
News such as this is often what makes the role one of the hardest in the British media — THR took a look at his accolades last week.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 1 Apr. 2026
Her novels have won accolades from the New York Times, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, and Junior Library Guild.
—Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Machado went on to enjoy a long career in avant-garde theater, garnering accolades for his striking and magnetic stage presence, despite his modest claims otherwise.
—News Desk, Artforum, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for accolades
Noun
-
Gallrein received several commendations while serving, including four Bronze Star Medals and two Presidential Unit Citations.—
Keely Doll,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Also presented with various commendations during the 2025 induction ceremony were Salt-N-Pepa, Warren Zevon, Carol Kaye, Nicky Hopkins, Thom Bell and Lenny Waronker.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Released more than a year before the war in Gaza became front page news, Mo received critical acclaim for its portrayal of Palestinian culture and the refugee experience.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Todd Helton is his favorite Rockies player, and whoever can step up this season to help fulfill Polis’ long-odds prediction of a wild card berth will also earn his acclaim.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Individual awards such as Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Coach of the Year will be released throughout the week.—
Charles Baggarly
April 6,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Other times, loyalty programs dramatically adjust the cost of awards, such as Hyatt’s recent addition of new price tiers, which was announced in February and goes into effect in May.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This year’s awards will also feature a number of musical tributes to anime, including performances from Dean Fujioka and rock band Porno Graffitti.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
-
This year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards will host a suite of musical tributes to anime.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Her sister, sophomore Sayler Peck, is also a standout player and earned TABC All-Region honors and a spot on the Star-Telegram All-Area Team.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The Mavs didn’t back down despite Leonard adding to his case for All-NBA honors with 34 points – his 55th consecutive game of at least 20 points – on 11-of-19 shooting from the field (6 for 10 from 3-point range).—
Janis Carr,
Oc Register,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The docu had its world premiere at Tribeca where Zegarra took home the Albert Maysles Award for documentary director followed by a string of prizes from other festivals.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The program’s third cohort will soon commence a four-day hackathon with $20k in prizes up for grabs, followed by a Build Week in Seoul, a three-month virtual program, and a San Francisco Demo Day.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
No citations have been issued at this time.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The losing attorney did as she was told — including Bonar’s citations as noted by the judge.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Coco continued to draw applauses and laughs while talking about women showing up to church in high heels and lace.—
Dana Afana,
Freep.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Accolades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/accolades. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
