What is a dubious honor?

Answer 1

A dubious honor? Maybe it's an honor or maybe it's not!

An honor is recognition, praise, an award.

Dubious means full of doubt, uncertain.

A dubious honor is recognition, but of a questionable sort:

- She had the dubious honor of being on the cover of the magazine's 'Worst Dressed' issue.

- That college has the dubious honor of being at the top of the 'Most Parties' list.

A dubious honor can also be getting selected or promoted, but for an unpopular or unpleasant task:

- He was a little late and found that the guys had voted already and had awarded him the dubious honor of being Team Manager, with all that extra work.

- She was thrilled to be on the Arrangements Committee for the Spring Festival, even if she only had the dubious honor of being in charge of ordering the Porta-Potties.

Answer 2

It is an award which has the appearance of an honour, but in fact carries with it a heavy burden. "Sir, you have been selected from thousands for the honour of taking part in the Queen's Own Human Sacrifice, for which I present you this gold medal which can only be worn by a Queen's Own Sacrificial Victim up to the date of his untimely death, which in your case is next Tuesday." That's a dubious honour.

Answer 3

A dubious honor is an ironic or undesirable recognition or award that is not truly prestigious or positive. It may be given for something negative, controversial, or embarrassing.