1
Critical praise
Strong approval from reviewers or experts.
Example
The novel received international acclaim.
acclaim
/əˈkleɪm/ · uh-KLAYMnoun
Enthusiastic and public praise.
Use acclaim for widespread, openly expressed approval from critics, audiences, or experts.
What acclaim Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Public recognition
Widespread enthusiastic approval.
Example
Her discovery brought acclaim from across the scientific community.
3
Praise an achievement
As a verb, publicly celebrate excellence.
Example
Critics acclaimed the film's visual design.
Use acclaim Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The novel received international acclaim.
Her discovery brought acclaim from across the scientific community.
Critics acclaimed the film's visual design.
Precision Matters
Acclaim overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
acclaim
vs.Is praise itself.
proponent
Is a person who supports a position.
acclaim
vs.Concerns approval, not believability.
credible
Deserves belief.
acclaim
vs.Expresses praise.
detractor
Expresses criticism—the contrast.
acclaim
vs.Occurs during recognition.
legacy
Is the enduring impact left afterward.
Test acclaim in Context
Reviewers express enthusiastic public praise.
1
The debut novel earned immediate critical ___, with reviewers praising its structure, language, and originality.