commend[verb]Synonyms: praise, acclaim, applaud, approve, compliment, extol, recommend, speak highly of
Antonyms: censure, admonish
Contrasted words: blame, criticize, reprehend, reprobate, chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove
Related Words: resign,
yield,
proffer,
tender,
eulogize,
extol,
approve,
countenance,
endorse,
support
English Thesaurus: praise, congratulate, compliment, flatter, rave about something, ... [TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
com‧mend /kəˈmend/
verb [transitive] formal[
Date: 1300-1400;
Language: Latin;
Origin: commendare, from com- ( ⇒ COM-) + mandare 'to give over to someone']
1. to praise or approve of someone or something publicly
commend somebody for something
Inspector Marshall was commended for his professional attitude. The paper was highly commended in the UK Press Awards.2. to tell someone that something is good or that it deserves attention
Synonym : recommend:
Colleagues, I commend this report to you. McKellen’s performance had much to commend it (=was very good).3. commend itself (to somebody) formal if something commends itself to you, you approve of it:
The plan did not commend itself to the Allies. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
praise to say that you admire and approve of someone or something, especially publicly:
The film was praised by the critics when it first came out. The report praises staff in both schools. It’s important to praise children.congratulate to tell someone that you think it is good that they have achieved something:
I congratulated him on his success. The government should be congratulated for what they have achieved.compliment to say to someone that you like how they look, or you like something they have done:
She complimented me on my new hairstyle. He complimented my cooking.flatter to praise someone in order to please them or get something from them, even though you do not mean it:
He had persuaded her to buy it by flattering her and being charming. You’re just flattering me!rave about something (
also enthuse about something formal) to talk about something you enjoy or admire in an excited way, and say that it is very good.
Rave is rather informal, whereas
enthuse is much more formal and is used mainly in written English:
Everyone is raving about the movie. She enthused about the joys of motherhood.applaud formal to publicly praise a decision, action, idea etc:
Business leaders applauded the decision. A spokeperson applauded the way the festival had been run.commend formal to praise someone or something, especially officially:
After the battle, Andrew Jackson commended him for ‘his courage and fidelity’. The officers should be commended for their prompt action.hail somebody/something as something especially written to describe someone or something in a way that shows you have a very good opinion of them, especially in newspapers, on television reports etc:
The book was hailed as a masterpiece. Journalists and music writers hailed the band as ‘the next big thing’. He is being hailed as the new James Dean.give somebody praise Give your dog plenty of praise when it behaves well.get praise His actions did not get the praise they deserved.win/earn/receive praise The trade deal won praise from the American business community.deserve praise She deserves praise for all the charity work she does.be singled out for praise (=be the one person who is praised) His work was singled out for praise by the examiners.heap/lavish praise on somebody (=praise them a lot) Ireland's manager has heaped praise on his team.shower somebody with praise (=praise them a lot) Taiwan's media lately showered praise on Li Yundi, the 18-year-old piano prodigy.high praise (=a lot of praise) The film won high praise from critics and audiences alike.special praise My sister was constantly singled out for special praise.lavish praise (=very high praise) United’s captain received lavish praise from his manager.faint praise (=comments that seem to praise someone, but in a way that does not really give them much praise) He wins faint praise as ‘the only candidate with a grain of sense’.be full of praise for somebody (=praise them a lot) Captain Jones was full of praise for his men.have nothing but praise for somebody/something (=praise them a lot, especially when they have had to deal with a difficult situation) Passengers had nothing but praise for the pilot.words of praise She still had some words of praise for her ex-husband’s wit and charm. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲