prestige

Definition of prestigenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word prestige distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of prestige are authority, credit, influence, and weight. While all these words mean "power exerted over the minds or behavior of others," prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority.

the prestige of the newspaper

When would authority be a good substitute for prestige?

While the synonyms authority and prestige are close in meaning, authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief.

his opinions lacked authority

When is credit a more appropriate choice than prestige?

In some situations, the words credit and prestige are roughly equivalent. However, credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others.

his credit with the press

Where would influence be a reasonable alternative to prestige?

While in some cases nearly identical to prestige, influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously.

used her influence to get the bill passed

In what contexts can weight take the place of prestige?

Although the words weight and prestige have much in common, weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices.

their wishes obviously carried much weight

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 prestige The perspective and prestige is already changing the way people think about our work. David Bloom, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 While affluent shoppers continue to snap up Ralph Lauren linen shorts and prestige beauty products, lower-income consumers are stretching budgets at Taco Bell and Ross Stores, pairing value meals and discount apparel with essential purchases. Juveria Tabassum, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 IndyCar is one of the world's leading open-wheel racing series, generally regarded as second only to Formula 1 in global popularity and prestige. Stefan Becket, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 After a year on the job, Ott has left the gig, with long-time principals Charlie Olsky and Emilie Spiegel being elevated to run the prestige agency as Co-Heads. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prestige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prestige
Noun
  • Loop’s status has been a hot-button issue around the team after his badly missed 44-yard field goal in Week 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season kept the Ravens out of the playoffs and accelerated the end of the John Harbaugh era.
    Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Traore, a fifth-round pick hadn’t impressed one bit, but his draft status kept him safe.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Vozinha shot to global fame overnight, with his social media following skyrocketing from around 50,000 before the match to over 13 million today.
    , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • On the last night of crooner Harry Belafonte’s weeklong run in Miami Beach in 1967, at the height of his fame, the stage crew and hotel general manager played a prank.
    Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Her notoriety and the public’s fascination with the case, some historians have argued, led to Borden’s acquittal.
    Addie Morfoot, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Clancy’s is not the first case of a mother accused of killing her children to gain such notoriety.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Despite her worldwide renown, Dolly Parton resisted award recognition several times in her prolific career.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Bell’s tenure leading the institute included the museum’s 2014 expansion and relocation to UConn’s main campus in Storrs — and its increasing renown within and beyond the professional theater world.
    Tran Chau, Hartford Courant, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • His comments come as the UK’s government prepares a Green Paper that will seek to dictate how the country’s media systems operate in the future, with prominence among the options on the table.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Along with his younger brother Gao Qiang, Gao Zhen rose to prominence as the collaborative artist duo known as the Gao Brothers.
    News Desk, Artforum, 25 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority CEO Doug Kreulen said Parton’s life exemplified the values the airport seeks to nurture.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
  • While several major Wall Street financial institutions are set to report their earnings this week, analysts told CNBC that the market is currently more focused on tech stocks, which now need to prove their value.
    , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Thanks to my friends’ beloved babies and the perks of my job—which have included putting together a list of essential children’s books—I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of reading with children.
    Emma Sarappo, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Fame was of prime importance to the ancient Greeks, and Wilson is the rare classical scholar who has firsthand knowledge of a public life.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The stature of the performances from Claymore, July and Fuller bring weight to these moments over a character, generally Sarah, voicing the thesis to us again.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
  • By comparison, prize law does not require a captor to have a warrant or tie a vessel’s seizure to a violation of an existing stature.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Prestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prestige. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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