conferring honorary

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "conferring honorary" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in the context of bestowing an honorary title or degree upon someone as a recognition of their achievements or contributions. Example: "The university is conferring honorary degrees to several distinguished individuals during the commencement ceremony."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

After a previous attempt failed, Congress passed a joint resolution conferring honorary U.S. citizenship on Pulaski in 2009, sending it to President Barack Obama for approval.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

A.S.U.'s president explained that his institution no longer confers honorary degrees on "sitting politicians".

The New Yorker

Acting on advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the queen confers honorary awards on foreigners for important contributions to British interests.

The New York Times

The move follows the University of California's decision in July to confer honorary degrees to its former students who were interned.

The New York Times

Indeed, that is what Kennedy said when he conferred honorary citizenship on Churchill in 1963, but he was quoting Edward R. Murrow.

The New York Times

Howard is an alumnus of the University of Sydney which has also conferred honorary doctorates on former prime ministers Robert Menzies, Gough Whitlam, Stanley Bruce and William Hughes.

The Guardian

One of Goebbels's less propitious schemes was to confer honorary Aryan status on Native American tribes, in the hope that they would rise up against their oppressors.

The New Yorker

The newspaper conferred honorary citizenship on Mr. Draghi, who is president of the Bank of Italy, and ran a doctored photo of him wearing a spiked helmet.

The New York Times

France is a longstanding ally of the United States (since 1778); it gave America the Statue of Liberty; it conferred honorary citizenship on Madison; it was the country of Lafayette (American revolutionary hero), of Montesquieu (profound influence on Jefferson) and of L'Enfant (designer of Washington, DC).

The Economist

Université Laval, the University of Manitoba and the University of Glasgow would also confer honorary degrees in 1947 48.

Wikipedia

This year, GWU president Steven Knapp conferred Honorary Degrees to well known jazz legend David Brubeck, businessman James Clark, owner of Clark Construction and a Honorary Doctor of Public Service to First Lady Michelle Obama.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "conferring honorary", ensure the context clearly indicates what specific honor or title is being bestowed. For example, specify "conferring honorary citizenship" or "conferring an honorary degree".

Common error

Avoid using "conferring honorary" without specifying what exactly is being conferred. For instance, don't just say "The organization is conferring honorary," clarify what the honorary title or award is.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "conferring honorary" functions as a verb phrase that describes the action of bestowing an honorary title or degree. As Ludwig AI suggests, this construction is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Science

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "conferring honorary" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe the act of bestowing an honorary title or degree. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is valid, though relatively rare, making it essential to use it in the right context. It is commonly found in news articles and wiki entries. Alternative phrases such as "bestowing honorary" or "awarding honorary" could be more commonly used. When using "conferring honorary", specify the honor being bestowed to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bestowing honorary

Focuses on the act of giving the honor, similar to conferring.

granting honorary

Emphasizes the permission or authorization aspect of conferring.

awarding honorary

Highlights the recognition and merit associated with the honor.

presenting honorary

Focuses on the formal act of giving the honor.

conveying honorary

Stresses the transfer of the honor to the recipient.

giving honorary

A simpler and more direct way of expressing the same action.

bestowing an honorary

Adding the article "an" clarifies the type of conferral.

granting an honorary

Adding the article "an" clarifies the type of conferral.

awarding an honorary

Adding the article "an" clarifies the type of conferral.

bestowing an honorary title

Specifies the type of honor being conferred.

FAQs

What does "conferring honorary" mean?

The phrase "conferring honorary" refers to the act of bestowing an honorary title, degree, or membership upon someone, typically as a mark of recognition for their achievements or contributions.

What are some alternatives to "conferring honorary"?

Alternatives include "bestowing honorary", "granting honorary", or "awarding honorary" depending on the specific context.

How is "conferring honorary" typically used in a sentence?

It's typically used to describe an organization or institution giving an honorary title or degree, as in, "The university is conferring honorary degrees to several distinguished individuals."

Is it correct to say "conferring an honorary degree"?

Yes, "conferring an honorary degree" is grammatically correct. The article "an" is used before "honorary" because it begins with a vowel sound.