1
2
as in commendation
a formal recognition of an achievement or praiseworthy deed a police officer who has received several citations for his work with troubled youths in the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in quotation
a passage referred to, repeated, or offered as an example in your paper be sure to include citations to back up any points you make about the play

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun citation differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of citation are encomium, eulogy, panegyric, and tribute. While all these words mean "a formal expression of praise," citation applies to the formal praise of a person offered in a military dispatch or in awarding an honorary degree.

earned a citation for bravery

When can encomium be used instead of citation?

The words encomium and citation are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, encomium implies enthusiasm and warmth in praising a person or a thing.

received encomiums from literary critics

When might eulogy be a better fit than citation?

The meanings of eulogy and citation largely overlap; however, eulogy applies to a prepared speech or writing extolling the virtues and services of a person.

delivered the eulogy at the funeral service

When could panegyric be used to replace citation?

In some situations, the words panegyric and citation are roughly equivalent. However, panegyric suggests an elaborate often poetic compliment.

her lyrical memoir was a panegyric to her mentor

When is tribute a more appropriate choice than citation?

While the synonyms tribute and citation are close in meaning, tribute implies deeply felt praise conveyed either through words or through a significant act.

the concert was a musical tribute to the early jazz masters

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 citation One key difference is that more curbs will steadily be painted red, which would seem to make citations less frequent in coming years. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 June 2025 The judge suspended imposition of the sentence on the careless driving citation and placed Walker on two years of unsupervised probation. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2025 Instead, officers must visually observe a driver speeding in order to issue a citation. Angela Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025 In 1983, Ellison was awarded a distinguished service citation by the University of Kansas Alumni Association. Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for citation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for citation
Noun
  • In May, Brown paid tribute to husband Jake Bongiovi on his 23rd birthday with a post on social media.
    Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 29 June 2025
  • This hidden cocktail bar pays tribute to Asheville's bold 1907 anti-Prohibitionists who wore red ribbons in defiance.
    Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the funeral liturgy and delivered the final commendation and valediction.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 26 Apr. 2025
  • In keeping with tradition, the Mass will include a homily and communion and end with a final commendation and farewell.
    Lauren Kent, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Consider using academic transcription to create a verifiable, searchable source that ensures quotations are correct, contexts are preserved and citations are clean.
    Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • Additionally, several quotations attributed to the cited judicial opinions were phony and did not accurately represent those materials.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 May 2025
Noun
  • The maximum possible award was $7,395 during the 2024-25 school year.
    Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025
  • This means taking positive press mentions or third-party validation (like interviews, features or awards) and weaving them into email campaigns, sales decks or social posts to build trust with new audiences. 3.
    Gianluca Ferruggia, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • Huston and Williams are still actively racking up X Games medals.
    Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • He was awarded numerous medals, including the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Air Medal with four Oak leaf clusters.
    Khaleda Rahman Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Earlier this year Harvard created its own task force to investigate antisemitism on campus, and many examples and quotes from that report were cited in the federal OCR review.
    Elissa Nadworny, NPR, 30 June 2025
  • More Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images Included in the report by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania that James was picking up his player option was a quote from his agent, Rich Paul.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
Noun
  • With a growing list of accolades, Lui and Wong are leading a new wave of emotionally intelligent, human-centric design in Asia and beyond.
    Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Domestically and individually, the 31-year-old has collected every accolade — two Ballons d’Or, two FIFA The Best awards, three Champions Leagues and nine Liga F titles with Barcelona.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 30 June 2025
Noun
  • Taken without our consent, without payment, without even the courtesy of acknowledgment.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 28 June 2025
  • Consent must be separate from other agreements and may not be bundled with terms of service or other privacy acknowledgments.
    Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Citation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/citation. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

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