honor roll: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “honor roll” mean?
An official list of students who have achieved high grades in their academic studies over a specific period.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An official list of students who have achieved high grades in their academic studies over a specific period.
A recognition of sustained high achievement. Can also be used metaphorically in contexts like business to refer to a group of top performers or products.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'honour roll' (UK) vs. 'honor roll' (US). The concept is identical in meaning and use in both educational systems.
Connotations
Carries the same academic prestige in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to its common use in K-12 school systems; in the UK, terms like 'headteacher's list' or 'merit list' might be used in some schools.
Grammar
How to Use “honor roll” in a Sentence
[Student/Name] + be/be named + on/to + the honor rollThe honor roll + list/recognize/include + [students]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorically used for a list of top-performing employees, salespeople, or products (e.g., 'This product is on our quarterly honor roll for sales').
Academic
Primary context. Denotes formal academic recognition in schools and sometimes universities.
Everyday
Used by parents/students discussing school achievements (e.g., 'She was so proud to be on the honor roll this term').
Technical
Not typically used in highly technical fields; remains an administrative/academic term.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “honor roll”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “honor roll”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “honor roll”
- Using it as an uncountable noun (e.g., 'She got honor roll'). Correct: 'She made the honor roll.'
- Confusing 'honor roll' (for grades) with 'honors class' (a more difficult class).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both recognise high academic achievement. 'Dean's list' is typically used at the university level and may imply a higher grade threshold. 'Honor roll' is more common in primary and secondary (K-12) schools.
Yes, in a compound form before a noun, e.g., 'an honor roll student'. It is not a standard adjective by itself (you wouldn't say 'The student is very honor roll').
The standard preposition is 'on' (e.g., 'She is on the honor roll'). 'In' is less common and generally considered incorrect in this context.
Not necessarily. The specific grade requirement (e.g., all A's, or a B+ average and above) is set by the individual school or institution.
An official list of students who have achieved high grades in their academic studies over a specific period.
Honor roll is usually formal, academic in register.
Honor roll: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɒnə ˌrəʊl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɑːnər ˌroʊl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “roll of honour (UK variant, often for military or civic deeds)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an ancient scroll (a ROLL) where names of HONOURable knights are written. Today, it's a list of students with honourable grades.
Conceptual Metaphor
ACHIEVEMENT IS A PLACE ON A PRESTIGIOUS LIST; ACADEMIC SUCCESS IS SOCIAL ELEVATION.
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following contexts is the term 'honor roll' LEAST likely to be used literally?