honoring
honoring — noun
1. the US spelling of the gerund 'honouring', meaning the act of showing respect or
the US spelling of the gerund 'honouring', meaning the act of showing respect or keeping a promise
Honoring our veterans is a long-standing American tradition.
gerund as subject
The ceremony focused on honoring the community's oldest members.
Honoring a contract means doing exactly what you agreed to do.
The mayor gave a speech about honoring the city's rich cultural history.
Honoring one's parents is an important value in many cultures around the world.
用法筆記
Both 'honoring' (US) and 'honouring' (UK) are correct spellings of the gerund form of the verb honor/honour. This entry only notes the spelling difference; the meaning is identical in both varieties. In American English, the form with one 'u' (honor → honoring) is standard. In British English, the form with a 'u' (honour → honouring) is standard.
honoring — verb
- honoringpresent simple I / you / we / they
- honorings3rd person singular
- honoringing-ing form
- honoringedpast simple
1. to treat someone or something with admiration and deep respect, often through a
to treat someone or something with admiration and deep respect, often through a public action or ceremony — for example, honoring war heroes with a parade, or honoring a family tradition at a wedding
The city honored Mathieu's grandfather for his fifty years of volunteer firefighting.
honor + person + for + reason
Sayaka's school honored her by hanging her painting in the main entrance hall.
honor + person + by + gerund
Every November, the town honors its veterans with a ceremony at the war memorial.
Yael felt deeply moved when the university honored her late grandmother's contribution to medicine.
Padma and her family honored their ancestors by lighting candles and sharing old stories.
- respect
less formal, covers daily interactions; 'honor' implies a more formal or solemn show of respect
- revere
stronger, suggests deep religious or emotional awe; less common in everyday speech
- pay tribute to
similar formality, often used in speeches or ceremonies
- salute
military context or symbolic gesture of respect
- disrespect
opposite meaning; showing a lack of respect
文法句型
honor + someone/something
be honored for + noun/gerund
honor + someone + by + gerund
用法筆記
This sense is very common in public/official contexts (ceremonies, memorials, speeches). Subject is often an institution (city, school, committee, nation). Frequently used in the passive: 'She was honored for her work.' Distinguish from sense 3 (PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE), which focuses on giving a tangible award or prize; this sense focuses on showing admiration and respect, which may or may not involve a physical reward.
常見錯誤
2. to follow through on a promise or commitment that you made earlier, doing the th
to follow through on a promise or commitment that you made earlier, doing the thing you agreed to rather than changing your mind
The company honored its promise to give all employees a winter bonus.
honor + a promise
Daniel honored his agreement to help his sister move into her new apartment.
honor + an agreement
Otis kept his word and honored the deal he had made with the farmers last spring.
The government refused to honor the contract it had signed with the building company.
William honored his grandmother's final wishes by keeping the family farm running.
文法句型
honor + a promise
honor + an agreement
honor + one's word
honor + a commitment
honor + a contract
用法筆記
Object is typically an abstract commitment: promise, agreement, contract, deal, word, pledge, or someone's wishes. Frequently occurs in formal, legal, or business contexts. The subject is usually a person, organization, or government that made the original commitment. This sense is distinct from sense 1 (SHOW RESPECT) because it focuses on reliability and obligation rather than admiration.
常見錯誤
3. to publicly recognize someone's achievements by presenting them with an award, a
to publicly recognize someone's achievements by presenting them with an award, a prize, or a special title, typically at a formal ceremony
The science foundation honored Zayd with a grant for his research on clean water.
honor + someone + with + award
Manuela was honored as Employee of the Year after twenty years of dedicated service.
passive: be honored as [title]
The film festival honored Tomás by giving his first short movie the opening-night slot.
Each year, the library honors three local writers with a cash prize and a reading event.
Jabari felt surprised and grateful when his colleagues honored him at the retirement dinner.
- award
focuses on giving a prize or money; less about public admiration
- recognize
slightly less formal; 'recognize someone's achievements'
- commend
more formal; often used in official statements or reports
- sing praise for
less common; used in ceremonial speeches
文法句型
honor + someone + with + noun
be honored as + noun
be honored for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with sense 1 (SHOW RESPECT) but emphasizes giving a specific award, prize, title, or formal recognition rather than general admiration. Key test: if the sentence can be rephrased as 'gave X an award/title/prize,' it is this sense. Object is usually a person, and the honor is typically conferred at an event or ceremony.