# kudos

/ˈkudoʊs/ (US) · /kjˈuːdəʊz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/kudos
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. praise and respect

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

the praise and respect you get for achieving something special.

For teachers: 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.

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.

### 2. well done

interjection · CEFR C1 · Informal

a way to say 'well done' or 'congratulations' to someone.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to give credit

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang · Technical

to give someone a digital 'like' or public praise for an activity.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- Kudos to the team for finishing the project on time.
- She gained a lot of kudos in the industry after her successful marketing campaign went viral.
- While the financial rewards were modest, the academic kudos resulting from the publication of his research proved invaluable for his career progression.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.