Honors — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb phrase /ˈä-nər/ hon·or

Meaning & Definition of Honors

Honors (noun)

  1. good name or public esteem, reputation
  2. respect that is given to someone who is admired, recognition
  3. high moral standards of behavior, integrity
  4. a special military ceremony for a person who has died

Honors (verb)

  1. to regard or treat (someone) with admiration and respect, to regard or treat with honor
  2. to give special recognition to, to confer honor on
  3. to live up to or fulfill the terms of

Honors (phrase)

  1. to do the actions performed by a host or hostess

Honors (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to show appreciation, respect, or affection for (someone) with a public celebration

    "the newlyweds were honored with a dinner given by the bride's grandmother"

    similar: fetes, recognizes
    related: acknowledges, cites, commends, compliments, credits, thanks, extols, glorifies, lauds, praises, touts, acclaims, applauds, cheers, hails, laureates, salutes, celebrates, commemorates, memorializes, observes, congratulates, felicitates
    near: discredits, disgraces, dishonors, humbles, humiliates, shames, bad-mouths, defames, libels, maligns, slanders, boos, hisses, hoots, jeers, censures, condemns, damns, denounces, reprobates, mocks, puts down, ridicules, slights

Honors (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an asset that brings praise or renown

    "a dedicated, caring teacher who is an honor to the teaching profession"

    similar: boasts, credits, crown jewels, glories, jewels, prides, treasures, trophies, feathers in one's cap
    related: pièces de résistance, showpieces, attractions, features, highlights, distinctions, excellences, merits, values, virtues
    near: disgraces, dishonors, blemishes, blots, defects, shames, slurs, smirches, smudges, stains, stigmas, eyesores, frights, horrors, messes

  2. public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement

    "the honor we give to our soldiers on Veterans Day"

    similar: acclaim, accolades, applauses, bays, credits, distinctions, glories, homages, kudos, lauds, laurels, props (slang), réclames, suns
    related: celebrities, fames, renowns, reputes, compliments, encomiums, eulogies, panegyrics, toasts, tributes, acclamations, ovations, plaudits, praises, raves, rhapsodies, citations, commendations, kudos, notes, recommendations, elevations, enshrinements, enthronements, exaltations, glorifications

  3. something given in recognition of achievement

    "has received several honors from the Boy Scouts for his many years of service"

    similar: accolades, awards, blue ribbons, decorations, distinctions, kudos, plumes, premiums, prizes
    related: badges, crowns, cups, laurels, medals, orders, plaques, plates, ribbons, trophies, applauses, bravos, encomiums, eulogies, hallelujahs, homages, paeans, panegyrics, plaudits, tributes, citations, commendations, compliments, honorable mentions

  4. something granted as a special favor

    "it will be an honor for me to show your aunt around the city"

    similar: appanages, boons, concessions, privileges
    related: courtesies, claims, entitlements, rights, birthrights, perquisites, prerogatives, charters, grants, patents, exemptions, immunities, waivers
    near: burdens, duties, obligations, responsibilities

Related Entry: Honor (verb)

Honor is a different word from Honors. The synonyms below are for honor, not for honors.

  1. to show appreciation, respect, or affection for (someone) with a public celebration

    "the newlyweds were honored with a dinner given by the bride's grandmother"

    similar: fete, recognize
    related: acknowledge, cite, commend, compliment, credit, thank, extol, glorify, laud, praise, tout, acclaim, applaud, cheer, hail, laureate, salute, celebrate, commemorate, memorialize, observe, congratulate, felicitate
    near: discredit, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, bad-mouth, defame, libel, malign, slander, boo, hiss, hoot, jeer, censure, condemn, damn, denounce, reprobate, mock, put down, ridicule, slight

Related Entry: Honor (noun)

Honor is a different word from Honors. The synonyms below are for honor, not for honors.

  1. faithfulness to high moral standards

    "the mayor, a man of honor, never broke a promise to the voters"

    similar: honesty, integrity, probity, rectitude, righteousness, uprightness
    related: blamelessness, character, conscientiousness, decency, fairness, high-mindedness, incorruptibility, irreproachability, irreproachableness, justice, morality, nobility, reputability, respectability, right-mindedness, scrupulousness, virtue, virtuousness
    opposite: baseness, dishonor, lowness
    near: corruptibility, corruption, corruptness, debasement, debauchery, decadence, degeneracy, degradation, depravity, disgrace, disgracefulness, disreputableness, dissipatedness, dissipation, dissoluteness, looseness, perversion, pervertedness, profligacy, shamelessness, venality, blameworthiness, criminality, crookedness, dishonesty, immorality, unrighteousness, unscrupulousness, knavery, rascality, roguishness, meanness, reprehensibleness, rottenness, sinfulness, vileness, villainy, wickedness, wretchedness

  2. an asset that brings praise or renown

    "a dedicated, caring teacher who is an honor to the teaching profession"

    similar: boast, credit, crown jewel, glory, jewel, pride, treasure, trophy, a feather in one's cap
    related: pièce de résistance, showpiece, attraction, feature, highlight, distinction, excellence, merit, value, virtue
    near: disgrace, dishonor, blemish, blot, defect, shame, slur, smirch, smudge, stain, stigma, eyesore, fright, horror, mess

  3. public acknowledgment or admiration for an achievement

    "the honor we give to our soldiers on Veterans Day"

    similar: acclaim, accolade, applause, bay(s), credit, distinction, glory, homage, kudos, laud, laurels, props (slang), réclame, sun
    related: celebrity, fame, renown, repute, compliment, encomium, eulogy, panegyric, toast, tribute, acclamation, ovation, plaudit, praise, rave, rhapsody, citation, commendation, kudo, note, recommendation, elevation, enshrinement, enthronement, exaltation, glorification

  4. something given in recognition of achievement

    "has received several honors from the Boy Scouts for his many years of service"

    similar: accolade, award, blue ribbon, decoration, distinction, kudo, plume, premium, prize
    related: badge, crown, cup, laurel, medal, order, plaque, plate, ribbon, trophy, applause, bravo, encomium, eulogy, hallelujah, homage, paean, panegyric, plaudit, tribute, citation, commendation, compliment, honorable mention

  5. something granted as a special favor

    "it will be an honor for me to show your aunt around the city"

    similar: appanage, boon, concession, privilege
    related: courtesy, claim, entitlement, right, birthright, perquisite, prerogative, charter, grant, patent, exemption, immunity, waiver
    near: burden, duty, obligation, responsibility

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Honors

The most common words with a similar meaning to Honors:

Slang: props
fetes, recognizes, boasts, credits, crown jewels, glories, jewels, prides, treasures, trophies, acclaim, accolades, applauses, bays, distinctions, homages, kudos, lauds, laurels, réclames, suns, awards, blue ribbons, decorations, plumes, premiums, prizes, appanages, boons, concessions, privileges, feathers in one's cap

Related Words for Honors

acknowledges, cites, commends, compliments, thanks, extols, glorifies, praises, touts, acclaims, applauds, cheers, hails, laureates, salutes, celebrates, commemorates, memorializes, observes, congratulates, felicitates, pièces de résistance, showpieces, attractions, features, highlights, excellences, merits, values, virtues

Near Antonyms of Honors

discredits, disgraces, dishonors, humbles, humiliates, shames, bad-mouths, defames, libels, maligns, slanders, boos, hisses, hoots, jeers, censures, condemns, damns, denounces, reprobates, mocks, puts down, ridicules, slights, blemishes, blots, defects, slurs, smirches, smudges

Word Forms of Honors

Inflections: honored, honoring

Derived words: honoree (noun), honorer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Honors

Middle English, from Anglo-French onur, honur, from Latin honos, honor

First known use: 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Honors

do the honors, full military honors

Frequently Asked Questions about Honors

What does "Honors" mean?

"Honors" means good name or public esteem, reputation. As an a noun, a verb and a phrase, it is defined as: good name or public esteem, reputation. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Honors"?

Other words for "Honors" include fetes, recognizes, boasts, credits, crown jewels, glories, jewels and prides. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Honors" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Honors"?

There are 111 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Honors". Common alternatives include fetes, recognizes, boasts, credits, crown jewels, glories, jewels, prides, treasures and trophies.

How do you use "Honors" in a sentence?

Examples of "Honors" in a sentence: "the newlyweds were honored with a dinner given by the bride's grandmother"; "a dedicated, caring teacher who is an honor to the teaching profession"; "the honor we give to our soldiers on Veterans Day".

Is "Honors" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Honors" can be used as a noun, a verb and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Honors"?

"Honors" is pronounced /ˈä-nər/ and divided into syllables as hon·or.

What is the origin of the word "Honors"?

"Honors" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French onur, honur, from Latin honos, honor. First known use: 12th century.

What is another word for "Honors" meaning "to show appreciation, respect, or affection for (someone) with a public celebration"?

When "Honors" (verb) means to show appreciation, respect, or affection for (someone) with a public celebration, synonyms include fetes and recognizes.