kudo

noun

ˈkü-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce kudo (audio)
Definition of kudonext
1
as in award
something given in recognition of achievement an honorary degree from her alma mater that is simply the latest kudo for an outstanding career in journalism

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in compliment
an admiring personal remark a kudo is in order for the way the young people acquitted themselves at their first formal dance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of kudo Also, kudos to the Bulls for basically selling both their second-round picks. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 25 June 2026 Her performance has been garnering critical raves and the kudos are well-deserved. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 June 2026 Sacramento State’s annual Rising Stars was a two-day whirlwind marathon of drills and activity that played out on several grass fields near Hornet Stadium, and it was deemed a rousing success, from the weather to the effort to the kudos. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026 Promotions, kudos and awards will put you in the spotlight. — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for kudo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kudo
  1. award
  2. compliment
  3. prize
  4. tribute
  5. accolade
  6. commendation
Noun
  • The team finished its competitive season in June at the Sunshine State Games in Ocala, where the Novice category won first place and earned the high-point award.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Friedman, an award-winning social psychologist whose research has been featured by in the New York Times, Bloomberg, and the Harvard Business Review, has built a career testing management folklore against behavioral science.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of award
Noun
  • Digging for compliments Shares in mining giant BHP are trading higher in Australia, hitting a two-month high, after the company topped earnings expectations and unveiled plans to pay its highest dividend in four years.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Handling compliments about weight loss The pressure to be thinner is reinforced when someone loses weight, whether from a GLP-1 or any other reason.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of compliment
Noun
  • Players have been discarded, standards raised and difficult calls made in pursuit of a team capable of winning the biggest prizes.
    — James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • No one won the Powerball jackpot or the $2 million Match 5 + Power Play prize, but one lucky person in Florida won the $1 million Match 5 prize.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of prize
Noun
  • It was immediately preceded Friday by the California premiere of composer and saxophonist Steven Banks’ to be free, a stirring, deeply felt tribute to Nina Simone that was co-commissioned by La Jolla Music Society.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Those boos gave way to cheers when the Red Sox played a 90-second tribute video after the bottom of the first.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of tribute
Noun
  • His flagship restaurant in Oakland’s Temescal district, Burdell, has won a number of accolades – snagging first place in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 restaurants list for 2025 and also Food & Wine’s Restaurant of the Year for 2024.
    — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Miller is a future Hall of Fame defensive end who has two first team All-Pro nods under his many accolades.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of accolade
Noun
  • The novel earned commendations from authors such as Salman Rushdie and Amitav Ghosh.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
  • His contributions to Japanese cinema earned him the 2004 Kawakita Prize and a commendation from Japan’s Foreign Ministry in 2008.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 July 2026
Definition of commendation

Browse Nearby Words

kraits
kudo
kudos
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Cite this Entry

“Kudo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kudo. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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