accolade

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   An award, honor, or statement of praise given for an achievement.

   Grammar: Singular names one award or praise; use the plural accolades for several or general recognition.

   Patterns

   • receive an accolade
   • win an accolade for something
   • award an accolade to someone
   • the highest accolade

   The young engineer received an accolade for her clean-water design.

   Being asked to lead the project was the highest accolade of his career.

2. 2nouncountablearchaicliterary

   A ceremonial touch with a sword that made someone a knight in the past.

   Grammar: A historical sense; modern learners meet it mainly in stories or accounts of knighthood.

   Patterns

   • give the accolade
   • the accolade of knighthood
   • receive the accolade

   In the tale, the king gives the accolade with a drawn sword.

   The museum label explains how the accolade marked knighthood.

Word forms

Common combinations

win an accolade

The volunteer firefighter won an accolade for courage.

receive the highest accolade

For the team, a thank-you letter from patients was the highest accolade.

confer an accolade on someone

The institute conferred an accolade on the retiring nurse.

an accolade for bravery

The medal was an accolade for bravery during the flood.

Synonyms and how they differ

award

An award is often a prize or medal; an accolade can also be honorific praise rather than a physical prize.

honor

Honor is broader respect or privilege; an accolade is recognition attached to a particular achievement.

tribute

A tribute shows admiration or respect, often after effort or loss; an accolade usually marks achievement.

commendation

A commendation is formal official praise; an accolade can be formal or simply high public praise.

Opposites

Commonly confused: accolade or acclamation?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “accolade”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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