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renowned

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verb

past tense of renown

Synonym Chooser

How is the word renowned different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of renowned are celebrated, distinguished, eminent, famous, illustrious, noted, and notorious. While all these words mean "known far and wide," renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

In what contexts can celebrated take the place of renowned?

In some situations, the words celebrated and renowned are roughly equivalent. However, celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

When might distinguished be a better fit than renowned?

While the synonyms distinguished and renowned are close in meaning, distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

When is it sensible to use eminent instead of renowned?

The synonyms eminent and renowned are sometimes interchangeable, but eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

When is famous a more appropriate choice than renowned?

The words famous and renowned are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

When can illustrious be used instead of renowned?

Although the words illustrious and renowned have much in common, illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

When would noted be a good substitute for renowned?

While in some cases nearly identical to renowned, noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

How do notorious and famous relate to one another, in the sense of renowned?

Notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

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 renowned
Verb
As someone renowned for their charisma and love of celebration, RuPaul knows that the best contributions are those that enhance the gathering without creating extra work. Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2025 Lisbon is renowned for its system of vintage streetcars, which provide a comfortable view of the city without requiring passengers to climb its steep hills. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025 Coleman and Cecil secured four barrels from a renowned Kentucky distillery in 2019. Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2025 Shull is one of Imagineering's most skilled artists and hasn't just worked at Disneyland Paris but also Tokyo Disney which is renowned for being the world's most immersive theme park resort. Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for renowned
Recent Examples of Synonyms for renowned
Adjective
  • Eufy Marswalker and RoboVac Omni S2 This is the famous stair climber.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Beethoven's Ninth, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Some classical music organizations would save Beethoven's famous symphony for the final program of the season to end with a big splash.
    Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Season 1 of The Studio was critically acclaimed and nabbed 23 nominations at the 77th Emmy Awards.
    Katherine Schaffstall, HollywoodReporter, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore broke out in the states for her role as hotel manager Valentina in season 2 of HBO’s acclaimed The White Lotus.
    EW.com, EW.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Oscar Isaac stars as Victor Frankenstein, the famed scientist of classical literature who brings a creature (Jacob Elordi) to life through a monstrous experiment.
    Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2025
  • In preparation for the role, Marbeck researched Godard’s work prior to Breathless — from short films to his film criticism for the famed French movie magazine Cahiers du Cinema.
    Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In a statement posted online, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller commended the department for exercising restraint while responding to the incident.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Henneberry commended both the Haberman family and the community for finding a bright light and taking something that is terrible and making something that is beautiful.
    Cathy Kozlowicz, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Published earlier this year by Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Audition is described as a twisty thriller that follows a celebrated actress enjoying a charmed, bohemian life in Manhattan with her creative husband.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 10 Sep. 2025
  • As for the appearance of a celebrated Beatle, that moment also had roots in the past.
    Marco della Cava, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Packaged in the same upscale 750ml bottle as the previous 18 editions, but with a deep navy-blue label complimented by gold accents.
    Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
  • McKinnon, who raps under the name NBATAE, even received a call from NBA YoungBoy himself, who complimented him on his rap name while giving him words of encouragement and support.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Kirk, a prominent voice in culture wars on college campuses, hosts a daily radio show and podcast, The Charlie Kirk Show, which ranks among the top 10 on Apple News’ list of top podcasts and has a strong Gen Z fan base.
    Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • On Tuesday night, the Nepali army deployed troops to restore order after prominent government buildings were set on fire, politicians were attacked and violent clashes erupted between protesters and government forces.
    Juliana Kim, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • This act of sportsmanship by Nicklaus was both controversial and applauded.
    Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The user who tweeted the video, @SMHIghlights1, taunted Sanders for wanting the starting quarterback job because Cleveland lost, and instead of joining in on the mockery, several fans in the comment section actually applauded Sanders for being a good teammate.
    Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Renowned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/renowned. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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