: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Guests can indulge in fine dining at the renowned Café Boulud or rejuvenate at the spa, which offers everything from beach-ready blowouts to bespoke treatments. Monica Mendal, Vogue, 26 Dec. 2024 Created by renowned biohacker Dave Asprey, this potent combination of coffee, butter, and MCT Oil held the promise of sustained energy, mental clarity, and weight loss. Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024 That’s because Almodóvar is a renowned gay artist who brings his perspective to his work but also because, crucially, this is a movie that meditates on American identity made by a non-American director. James Factora, Them, 20 Dec. 2024 Nearly two decades ago, the lodge partnered with renowned Vancouver chef David Hawksworth, whose restaurants, Hawksworth and Nightingale, are icons of the city’s culinary scene. Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for renowned 

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 1 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

renowned

adjective
: having renown : celebrated

More from Merriam-Webster on renowned

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