Meaning & use

honorable mention

noun·Everyday

A recognition given to someone whose work was notable but did not win the top prize in a competition.

See it in a sentence

Although she didn't win first place, the judges awarded her an honorable mention for creativity.

The science fair gave three honorable mentions to projects that narrowly missed the top three.

A note on using this word

An honorable mention acknowledges genuine merit even though the entry falls short of an official award.

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