honorary
adjective
hon·or·ary
ˈä-nə-ˌrer-ē 
1
a
: having or conferring distinction
an honorary engineering society
b
: commemorative
an honorary plaque
2
: dependent on honor or a keen sense of ethical conduct for fulfillment
an honorary obligation
honorary
noun
Examples of honorary in a Sentence
He was awarded an honorary degree.
He's an honorary member of the club.
He is the honorary president of the commission.
Recent Examples on the Web
Karen Hoehn is honorary chair and KFMB-TV News8 Anchor Anna Laurel will serve as emcee, the news release stated.
—
News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
For honorary chair Valeisha Butterfield, the night served as a marker of how far the Black Music Collective has come since its formation during the early months of the pandemic.
—Emanuel Okusanya, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026
The month prior, Abu Dhabi’s AI university bestowed its inaugural honorary doctorate on the founder.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
The rapper joined American athletes in Milan this week as Team USA's first-ever honorary coach and a torchbearer for Milan Cortina.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for honorary
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News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
For honorary chair Valeisha Butterfield, the night served as a marker of how far the Black Music Collective has come since its formation during the early months of the pandemic.
—Emanuel Okusanya, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026
The month prior, Abu Dhabi’s AI university bestowed its inaugural honorary doctorate on the founder.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
The rapper joined American athletes in Milan this week as Team USA's first-ever honorary coach and a torchbearer for Milan Cortina.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for honorary
Cite this Entry
“Honorary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honorary. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
honorary
adjective
hon·or·ary
ˈän-ə-ˌrer-ē
1
: given or done as a sign of honor
an honorary degree
2
: voluntary entry 1 sense 1, unpaid
honorary president
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