Word
kudos
Phoneticsku·dos, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkudoʊs/
UK/kjˈuːdəʊz/
Definitions
01praise and respect
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Informal
n. the praise and respect you get for achieving something special.
n. acclaim, glory, or prestige resulting from a noteworthy achievement.
“She gained a lot of kudos for finishing the project ahead of schedule.”
“The lead researcher received significant kudos from the international community for her groundbreaking work on renewable energy.”
Pitfall
He 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'.
Teaching tip
Learners 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.
02well done
C1 · Advanced Informal
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.
“Kudos to you for passing that difficult exam.”
“Kudos to the marketing team for pulling off such a successful launch on a limited budget.”
Usage
Commonly followed by the preposition 'to'.
Teaching tip
This is a very common way to give 'props' or credit in a professional but relaxed office environment.
Synonyms
03to give credit
C2 · Proficiency Computing Slang · Technical
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.
“My friends kudos-ed my morning run on the fitness app.”
“The platform allows users to kudos each other's workout milestones to foster a sense of community.”
Usage
Often used as a functional shift from noun to verb in digital contexts.
Teaching tip
This specific verb use is mostly restricted to social media and fitness tracking platforms like Strava.
Real-World Examples
“At November’s quarterly data meeting, there were kudos for several numbers whose rise or dip was not statistically significant, and no recognition that the students who passed by one or two questions could very well fail by one or two the next time around.” “A Kudos Email communicates to the author that you enjoyed and were inspired by their work.” Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek κῦδος (kûdos, “praise, renown”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/kudos