as in award
recognition given to someone who has done something extremely well but who has not won the top honor
They didn't win the science fair competition but were pleased to receive an honorable mention.
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Recent Examples of honorable mention
His Hurtado Barbecue earned an honorable mention on the new list after making the Top 50 in 2021.
—
Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
Awards for excellent and honorable mention also went to both publications.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
Both are worth checking out: Also, some honorable mentions worth checking out include the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Howard Sampson, Texas Tech Breakdown: One of the many high profile transfer additions for the Red Raiders, Sampson was an honorable mention All-ACC pick after his lone season at North Carolina.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for honorable mention
Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2025
Awards for excellent and honorable mention also went to both publications.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
Both are worth checking out: Also, some honorable mentions worth checking out include the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals.
—Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Howard Sampson, Texas Tech Breakdown: One of the many high profile transfer additions for the Red Raiders, Sampson was an honorable mention All-ACC pick after his lone season at North Carolina.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for honorable mention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honorable mention
Noun
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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
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The maximum possible award was $7,395 during the 2024-25 school year.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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This is not the first time Kaye has taken something intended as a compliment as ultimately patronizing, if not demeaning.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
18 June 2025
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The compliment made the teen visibly light up on stage.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Honorable mention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honorable%20mention. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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