English Reference
Noun

acclaim

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US /əˈkɫeɪm/ UK /ɐklˈeɪm/ ac·claim UK spelling acclaims Politics

n.strong praise and approval from a lot of people. It is often used when a famous person or a piece of art gets great reviews.

n.enthusiastic and public praise or approval. Often associated with artistic, academic, or political achievement.


SIMPLE

The new film received great critical acclaim.

CONTEXTUAL

The young diplomat returned home to wide acclaim after successfully negotiating the peace treaty.

COMPLEX

Despite the initial controversy surrounding its brutalist design, the new library eventually won international acclaim for its innovative use of natural light and sustainable materials.

Usage

Commonly used in the phrase 'critical acclaim' or following the verbs 'receive', 'win', or 'earn'.

Law then appeared with Emma – playing mother and daughter – in The Winter Guest, Alan Rickman’s feature film directing debut, which won considerable acclaim.

The Guardian· 18 Aug 2026

He scored a No 1 with She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles) “Gary Stewart is a superhero,” says Davis, the Kentucky-born singer-songwriter whose 2025 album New Threats from the Soul won wide acclaim.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

Etymology 1

* First attested in the early 14th century. * (to applaud): First attested in the 1630s. * Borrowed from Latin acclāmō (“raise a cry at; applaud”), formed from ad- + clāmō (“cry out, shout”).

Etymology 2

* First attested in 1667.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin acclāmō
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated