renowned

adjective

re·​nowned ri-ˈnau̇nd How to pronounce renowned (audio)
: widely acclaimed and highly honored : celebrated
Choose the Right Synonym for renowned

famous, renowned, celebrated, noted, notorious, distinguished, eminent, illustrious mean known far and wide.

famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

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

a notorious gangster

distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

Examples of renowned in a Sentence

Poggio prospected for manuscripts across much of western Europe, visiting the renowned monasteries of Reichenau and Fulda, and wandering as far afield as Cologne, London, Paris, and Rome. Fred Lerner, The Story of Libraries, 1998
He was renowned for his appetite—in the mid-60's, his daily breakfast consisted of six steaks, four plates of pasta and a dozen eggs … Maureen Dowd, New York Times, 24 June 1993
… it was hard for me to realize that I was to be honoured by a degree from the oldest and most renowned university in America. Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery, 1901
a restaurant renowned for its wine list the renowned painter, sculptor, architect, and engineer, Leonardo da Vinci
Recent Examples on the Web The supplies will be dispatched by truck, including in Gaza's north, said José Andrés, a renowned Spanish American chef who founded the World Central Kitchen. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 17 Mar. 2024 Sunday also turned out to be the day when the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin, a nationally renowned floral symbol of spring, reached full bloom. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024 The La Jolla Music Society presents the internationally renowned Canadian dance company in a concert that brings the music and poems of troubadour Leonard Cohen to life. Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Mar. 2024 Floyd is a renowned expert in the complex racketeering law that Willis is using against Trump and the others. Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 From A-list actors to big-time ballplayers, the globally renowned actress, singer and entertainer has famously romanced some of the world’s finest celebrity bachelors throughout her career. Lydia Price, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 The action plan included removing Synan, a nationally renowned figure in the fight against the opioid crisis, from participating in any activities that would take him from his normal duties. Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024 The renowned north Phoenix Metrocenter stood as one of the largest malls in the country, bustling with shoppers in the 1980s. Kira Caspers, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 Daughter of the renowned fado singer Teresa Siqueira, Carminho released her debut album Fado in 2009, followed by Alma in 2012, Canto in 2014, Carminho canta Tom Jobim in 2016, Maria in 2018 and Portuguesa in 2023 — the last of which earned her a Latin Grammy nomination. Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'renowned.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see renown entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of renowned was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near renowned

Cite this Entry

“Renowned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/renowned. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

renowned

adjective
re·​nowned ri-ˈnau̇nd How to pronounce renowned (audio)
: having renown : celebrated

More from Merriam-Webster on renowned

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