honorable mention

USAGE SUMMARY

"honorable mention" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to describe someone or something that was not the top choice or winner, but was still seen as noteworthy. For example: "The student received honorable mention for her painting in the art contest."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Honorable mention.

Stanford University

Honorable Mention: Yu Darvish.

The New York Times

Honorable Mention: Brian Matusz.

The New York Times

Honorable mention: Mueller.

The New York Times - Sports

(Honorable mention: Talking Heads).

The New Yorker

(Honorable mention: "Woodstock").

The New Yorker

Honorable mention: Lee's "Brokeback Mountain".

The New Yorker

Honorable Mention Award.

Cornell University

CiteMe – Honorable Mention Winner!

Columbia University

Demoperate – Honorable Mention Winner!

Columbia University

Best paper honorable mention.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "honorable mention" to acknowledge efforts that are commendable but didn't secure the top spot. It provides positive reinforcement and recognition for near-wins.

Common error

Avoid using "honorable mention" when referring to the actual winner or top performer. "Honorable mention" signifies recognition outside the primary winning category.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "honorable mention" functions as a noun phrase that provides recognition for something or someone that didn't win, but was still noteworthy. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase follows standard grammatical rules.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Academia

41%

News & Media

57%

Wiki

2%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "honorable mention" is a noun phrase used to recognize commendable efforts that fall short of winning. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically correct and widely used, particularly in academic and news contexts. Related phrases include "worthy of recognition" and "commendable effort". To use it effectively, remember that "honorable mention" is for those who didn't win but still deserve acknowledgment. Avoid using it to describe the actual winner. With a high source quality score and expert rating, it's a phrase you can confidently use in various writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

worthy of recognition

Focuses on the deserving nature of the acknowledgment.

deserving of praise

Highlights the praiseworthy aspect of the achievement.

commendable effort

Emphasizes the positive qualities of the attempt or action.

noteworthy achievement

Stresses the significance or importance of the accomplishment.

meritorious performance

Indicates a performance that is deserving of merit or reward.

special recognition

Highlights the special acknowledgment given.

acknowledged achievement

Focuses on the acknowledgment of an achievement.

recognized contribution

Highlights the acknowledgment of a contribution.

credit is due

Indicates that someone or something deserves acknowledgment or praise.

deserves a shout-out

Informal way of saying something deserves recognition.

FAQs

How is "honorable mention" typically used?

The phrase "honorable mention" is used to give recognition to someone or something that didn't win first place but was still noteworthy or deserving of recognition. It's commonly used in contests, competitions, or awards.

What are some alternatives to "honorable mention"?

Alternatives include phrases like "worthy of recognition", "commendable effort", or "noteworthy achievement", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "honorable mention" in formal writing?

Yes, "honorable mention" is suitable for formal writing, particularly when reporting results of competitions, awards, or any situation where you need to acknowledge participants who performed well but didn't win first place.

What is the significance of receiving an "honorable mention"?

Receiving an "honorable mention" signifies that the recipient's work or performance was of high quality and recognized by judges or evaluators, even if it didn't surpass all other entries. It's a positive acknowledgment of merit.