acclaim

1 of 2

verb

ac·​claim ə-ˈklām How to pronounce acclaim (audio)
acclaimed; acclaiming; acclaims

transitive verb

1
: applaud, praise
Critics acclaimed her performance.
2
: to declare by acclamation
was acclaimed president of the society

intransitive verb

: to shout praise or applause
acclaimer noun

acclaim

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act of acclaiming
2
: praise, applause
She deserves acclaim for all her charitable works.

Examples of acclaim in a Sentence

Verb The critics have acclaimed her performance. she has long been acclaimed by the critics for her realistic acting Noun Her performance in the ballet earned her critical acclaim. She deserves acclaim for all her charitable works.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The show premiered in 2021 and was critically acclaimed, but after the second season arrived the following year, Peacock decided it was done. Esther Zuckerman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 This was French’s first novel outside the Dublin Murder Squad series, the popular and critically acclaimed crime novels that made her name. Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024 Time Still Turns the Page is the latest in a stream of small, acclaimed and distinctively Hong Kong productions Cheuk believes have emerged as production numbers and funds have dried up. Mathew Scott, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Mar. 2024 Throughout her nearly five decade career, Lange has been acclaimed as one of the greatest of her generation. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 The film, acclaimed for its compelling narrative and stunning visuals, brought Maori stories to a global audience, emphasizing themes of identity, tradition, and resilience. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 This man, of course, is John Galliano, creative director of Dior at the time and, by general consensus, one of the world’s great fashion designers, acclaimed for his theatrical magpie vision and the maximalist joie de vivre of his clothes. Maya Singer, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon is directed by Gibney, 70, who has helmed acclaimed, award-winning documentaries like The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief and Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, among others. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 The film about a Black writer who is frustrated with the publishing world has become critically acclaimed. Lisa Respers France, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
Funded outside of the studio system with private investors, Duvernay’s adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s 2020 nonfiction bestseller Caste received limited release but widespread acclaim. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 15 Mar. 2024 The opening night of the tour at the O2 Arena in London was greeted with near-universal acclaim. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024 The band did earn some critical acclaim and cachet: John Lennon was photographed wearing a Raspberries shirt. Ron Depasquale, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Related: 22 Iconic Restaurants in New York City 04 of 10 San Diego South of Los Angeles, San Diego is another California city worthy of cocktail acclaim. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2024 Beltrán’s influence extended beyond music to acting, earning her widespread acclaim and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 7 Mar. 2024 Past book trilogy, which debuted in China in 2008 to enormous popularity and acclaim. Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Mar. 2024 After a stalwart career at St. Frances, a football prep school of national acclaim orchestrated by current Charlotte 49ers coach Biff Poggi, Okie embarked on what would be a tumultuous college experience. Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024 The San Diego Symphony’s $85 million Rady Shell at Jacobs Park has earned international acclaim and featured an array of music legends and rising talents since opening in 2021. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acclaim.' 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

Verb

borrowed (with assimilation to claim entry 1) from Middle French & Latin; Middle French acclamer, borrowed from Latin acclāmāre "to shout (at or in reaction to), raise an outcry, shout approval," from ad- ad- + clāmāre "to shout" — more at claim entry 1

Noun

derivative of acclaim entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1626, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acclaim was in 1626

Dictionary Entries Near acclaim

Cite this Entry

“Acclaim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acclaim. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

acclaim

1 of 2 verb
ac·​claim ə-ˈklām How to pronounce acclaim (audio)
1
: to welcome with applause or great praise
a novel acclaimed by the critics
2
: to proclaim by or as if by acclamation
acclaimer noun

acclaim

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act of acclaiming
2
Etymology

Verb

from Latin acclamare, literally "to shout at," from ac-, ad- "to, toward" and clamare "to shout" — related to claim, clamor

More from Merriam-Webster on acclaim

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