Synonym Chooser

How is the word eminent different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of eminent are celebrated, distinguished, famous, illustrious, noted, notorious, and renowned. While all these words mean "known far and wide," eminent implies even greater prominence for outstanding quality or character.

the country's most eminent writers

When could celebrated be used to replace eminent?

The synonyms celebrated and eminent are sometimes interchangeable, but celebrated implies notice and attention especially in print.

the most celebrated beauty of her day

When would distinguished be a good substitute for eminent?

In some situations, the words distinguished and eminent are roughly equivalent. However, distinguished implies acknowledged excellence or superiority.

a distinguished scientist who won the Nobel Prize

When is famous a more appropriate choice than eminent?

Although the words famous and eminent have much in common, famous implies little more than the fact of being, sometimes briefly, widely and popularly known.

a famous actress

When can illustrious be used instead of eminent?

The meanings of illustrious and eminent largely overlap; however, illustrious stresses enduring honor and glory attached to a deed or person.

illustrious war heroes

In what contexts can noted take the place of eminent?

While in some cases nearly identical to eminent, noted suggests well-deserved public attention.

the noted mystery writer

How are the words notorious and famous related as synonyms of eminent?

Notorious frequently adds to famous an implication of questionableness or evil.

a notorious gangster

When is it sensible to use renowned instead of eminent?

The words renowned and eminent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, renowned implies more glory and acclamation.

one of the most renowned figures in sports history

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of eminent Have a portrait of Josef Gingold: Gingold was an eminent violinist and teacher of that instrument. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 30 Oct. 2024 Mencken was not just a talented memoirist and scholar of American English but also one of the eminent political writers of his time. Ben Jacobs, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2024 Did those warnings from authoritative sources — eminent figures Trump once appointed to high-ranking jobs — have any effect on his voters as election day approaches? Advertisement World & Nation Column: The presidential race won’t be over on election night. Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024 The first episode starts out with a spoof about how Walsh descends from a long line of eminent justices, all obsessed with doling out the death penalty. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eminent 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eminent
Adjective
  • His grandfather Campbell Forsyth made four appearances in goal for Scotland in 1964 and his father Stuart Burgess, also a defender, had a distinguished career in the Scottish leagues.
    Asif Burhan, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The Academy Award-winning filmmaker is only the 37th director to receive the distinguished honor, awarded at the discretion of current and past DGA presidents, in the Guild’s 88-year history.
    Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The Beverage Testing Institute’s Top Ten Whiskeys of 2024 showcased a selection of outstanding whiskeys.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
  • In his first full year as a starting pitcher, Crochet had a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts, and an outstanding 209 strikeouts in 146 innings, and made the American League All-Star team.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Recently, Brown was honored with the prestigious Pete Born Impact Award at WWD’s annual Beauty Inc Awards, a testament to her lasting impact on the beauty industry.
    Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Her zeal for fashion was even hands-on during runway shows — although that tactile approach was always done with impeccable manners that were no doubt gleaned during her schoolgirl years at the prestigious Miss Porter’s School.
    Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • With roots in engineering and an illustrious career managing campaigns for iconic events like the Oscars and American Idol, Valdez brought a unique blend of technical expertise and creative vision to his work.
    Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Located on the illustrious Royal Palm Way (which leads directly to the Atlantic Ocean), the 79-room hotel dates back to the 1960s.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Right Now Christmas with You Freddie Prinze Jr. returns to his rom-com roots in this holiday film about a single father/music teacher who crosses paths with a famous pop star (Aimee Garcia).
    Kelsie Gibson, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
  • In the video, Lucas, who was 2 years old at the time, performs a spot-on copy of Troy Bolton's famous routine.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The most notable example was fighting photo identification for voting, a constitutional amendment voters approved decisively but Cooper essentially blocked via litigation for more than half a decade.
    Alan Wooten | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Dec. 2024
  • One of the most notable cases was in December 2023, Langley Air Force Base in Virginia reported multiple drone incursions throughout that December.
    Eleanor Watson, CBS News, 13 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near eminent

Cite this Entry

“Eminent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eminent. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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