kudos
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.the praise and respect you get for achieving something special.
n.acclaim, glory, or prestige resulting from a noteworthy achievement.
Simple“She gained a lot of kudos for finishing the project ahead of schedule.”
In context“The lead researcher received significant kudos from the international community for her groundbreaking work on renewable energy.”
Teacher's tipLearners should be aware that while 'kudos' looks plural because it ends in 's', it is historically singular. Using 'a kudo' is generally considered a mistake in formal writing.
PitfallHe received many kudos for his help. He received much kudos for his help.In formal English, kudos is an uncountable noun and takes 'much' rather than 'many'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
interj.a way to say 'well done' or 'congratulations' to someone.
interj.used as an exclamation to express approval or to acknowledge a laudable achievement.
Simple“Kudos to you for passing that difficult exam.”
In context“Kudos to the marketing team for pulling off such a successful launch on a limited budget.”
UsageCommonly followed by the preposition 'to'.
Teacher's tipThis is a very common way to give 'props' or credit in a professional but relaxed office environment.
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to give someone a digital 'like' or public praise for an activity.
v.to grant public recognition or a digital accolade for an achievement, particularly in social fitness apps.
Simple“My friends kudos-ed my morning run on the fitness app.”
In context“The platform allows users to kudos each other's workout milestones to foster a sense of community.”
UsageOften used as a functional shift from noun to verb in digital contexts.
Teacher's tipThis specific verb use is mostly restricted to social media and fitness tracking platforms like Strava.
Borrowed from Ancient Greek κῦδος (kûdos, “praise, renown”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.