prestige

noun

Definition of prestigenext
as in status
the respect and admiration that someone or something gets for being successful or important Her career as a diplomat has brought her enormous prestige. The job has low pay and low prestige.

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word prestige distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of prestige are authority, credit, influence, and weight. While all these words mean "power exerted over the minds or behavior of others," prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority.

the prestige of the newspaper

When would authority be a good substitute for prestige?

While the synonyms authority and prestige are close in meaning, authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief.

his opinions lacked authority

When is credit a more appropriate choice than prestige?

In some situations, the words credit and prestige are roughly equivalent. However, credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others.

his credit with the press

Where would influence be a reasonable alternative to prestige?

While in some cases nearly identical to prestige, influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously.

used her influence to get the bill passed

In what contexts can weight take the place of prestige?

Although the words weight and prestige have much in common, weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices.

their wishes obviously carried much weight

Example 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 prestige Maybe the success of Crocs and the prestige and notoriety and especially the crazy money had something to do with my nearly destroying myself. — George Boedecker Jr, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Through Soulstice, Twine saw an opportunity to offer the clinical performance, sophisticated formulations, and elevated experience consumers expect from prestige hair care at a more accessible price point. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026 Still signed to American Recordings, a prestige boutique operation with major-label backing, the Jayhawks assumed they would soon be dropped. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026 Another transition, as if someone had switched channels to a prestige family drama (kudos to the many hats cinematographer Zach Kuperstein wears), takes us to a regular modern-day suburban street. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prestige
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prestige
  1. status
  2. fame
  3. notoriety
  4. renown
  5. prominence
  6. value
  7. importance
  8. stature
Noun
  • Loop’s status has been a hot-button issue around the team after his badly missed 44-yard field goal in Week 18 against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season kept the Ravens out of the playoffs and accelerated the end of the John Harbaugh era.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Traore, a fifth-round pick hadn’t impressed one bit, but his draft status kept him safe.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of status
Noun
  • What that does to your children, who are trying to find themselves in the midst of hyper-scrutiny and fame.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The series that shot presenter Amelia Dimoldenberg to stratospheric fame, Chicken Shop Date, is coming to an end.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of fame
Noun
  • Her notoriety and the public’s fascination with the case, some historians have argued, led to Borden’s acquittal.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Clancy’s is not the first case of a mother accused of killing her children to gain such notoriety.
    — N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of notoriety
Noun
  • Its innovative cutting-edge treatments, some found nowhere else, reaffirm the destination spa’s renown as one of the finest in the nation.
    — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Despite her worldwide renown, Dolly Parton resisted award recognition several times in her prolific career.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of renown
Noun
  • The space and prominence Barbera has accorded to nonfiction has only grown in the years since.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Moulton rose to prominence in 2018 after unsuccessfully attempting to block Nancy Pelosi from regaining her position as speaker of the House.
    — Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of prominence
Noun
  • Griffin acquired the painting in a private transaction through Christie’s in 2024, with art experts estimating its value at $200 million or more.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • During the Viking Age, silver bars, jewelry and scrap silver were used as a means of payment and to store value, with their weight determining their value, according the museums group.
    — Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of value
Noun
  • Guerra emphasized the importance of teaching younger generations about LGBTQ hate.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Initially, the group aired jingles on the radio and distributed flyers around Ife, stressing the importance of early detection.
    — Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of importance
Noun
  • The stature of the performances from Claymore, July and Fuller bring weight to these moments over a character, generally Sarah, voicing the thesis to us again.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026
  • By comparison, prize law does not require a captor to have a warrant or tie a vessel’s seizure to a violation of an existing stature.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of stature

Browse Nearby Words

prestidigitators
prestige
prestigious
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Cite this Entry

“Prestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prestige. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on prestige

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prestige

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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