Be Honored To Do vs. Honored For Something
Be Honored To Do vs. Honored For Something distinguishes two attested complement patterns for the same adjective. Use honored/honoured + to-infinitive for the adjective followed by its documented complement pattern; use honored/honoured for + noun phrase for the separately documented construction. The constructions are not interchangeable simply because they share the adjective; choose the pattern that matches the grammatical relationship you mean.
Use honored/honoured + to-infinitive when the adjective introduces that documented complement; use honored/honoured for + noun phrase when you mean the second documented relationship.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| honour associated with receiving or performing an action/role | honored/honoured + to-infinitive | use the infinitive for the action or event |
| recognition given because of an achievement, service, or reason | honored/honoured for + noun phrase | use “for” to name the reason for recognition |
Quick tests
Action-or-reason test
Are you expressing the honour of doing/receiving something, or naming why someone was honoured?
If yes: Use “honored/honoured to + verb” for the action/event.
If no: Use “honored/honoured for + noun phrase” for the reason.
Caveat: Spelling varies by regional style; the complement distinction is separate from honored/honoured spelling.
Examples
I am honored to accept the invitation.
The infinitive presents the action associated with the honour.
She was honored for her years of service.
“For” introduces the reason for the recognition.
We were honoured to represent the group.
The regional spelling changes, but the infinitive construction does not.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use honored/honoured + to-infinitive for the adjective followed by its documented complement pattern; use honored/honoured for + noun phrase for the separately documented construction.
Style Boundary
Treat the distinction as a complement-pattern choice, not as a claim that every nearby preposition or clause is impossible. Follow the directly documented construction for the intended relationship.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- HONOURED — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Direct dictionary evidence for be honoured + to-infinitive and be honoured for.