recommend
Americanverb (used with object)
-
recommends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recommended,
past participle, past
-
recommending
present participle
-
to present as worthy of confidence, acceptance, use, etc.; commend; mention favorably.
to recommend an applicant for a job; to recommend a book.
- Antonyms:
- condemn
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to represent or urge as advisable or expedient.
to recommend caution.
-
to advise, as an alternative; suggest (a choice, course of action, etc.) as appropriate, beneficial, or the like.
He recommended the blue-plate special. The doctor recommended special exercises for her.
- Synonyms:
- counsel
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to make desirable or attractive.
a plan that has very little to recommend it.
verb (used without object)
-
recommends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recommended,
past participle, past
-
recommending
present participle
noun
verb
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(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to advise as the best course or choice; counsel
to recommend prudence
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to praise or commend
to recommend a new book
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to make attractive or advisable
the trip has little to recommend it
-
archaic to entrust (a person or thing) to someone else's care; commend
Usage
Spelling tips for recommend The word recommend is hard to spell because it is tricky to know whether the c, the m, and/or the n is doubled. How to spell recommend: The easiest way to remember how to spell recommend is to break it into three parts: re - com - mend. You can keep these three sections in mind with the sentence: "I recommend that you rely commonly on mending."
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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recommendernoun
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prerecommendverb (used with object)
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recommendableadjective
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unrecommendableadjective
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unrecommendedadjective
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well-recommendedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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recommendsimple
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recommendssimple
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have recommendedperfect
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has recommendedperfect
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am recommendingprogressive
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are recommendingprogressive
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is recommendingprogressive
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have been recommendingperfect progressive
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has been recommendingperfect progressive
Past
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recommendedsimple
-
had recommendedperfect
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was recommendingprogressive
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were recommendingprogressive
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had been recommendingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of recommend
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English recommenden, from Medieval Latin recommendāre; equivalent to re- + commend
Explanation
If you recommend a person or thing is to vouch for them. Recommend can also be to advise. If your doctor recommended an exercise program to you that's changed your life, you might recommend your doctor to your friends. Recommend is connected to the verb commend "to praise." They are both spelled with one c and two m's, reflecting the prefixes re- and com-. These verbs overlap in some uses: you can recommend or commend an applicant for employment. But commend is used for special or public praise: "He was commended for bravery."
Vocabulary lists containing recommend
Excerpt from "Bad Boy"
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"the insanity of selling junk food"
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Encourage
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In the U.S., federal prosecutors can recommend lighter sentences if a defendant substantially aids in the recovery of stolen property.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
This could be trying to anticipate what product an online shopper might buy, based on previous purchases, in order to recommend items.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
“If the older spouse has a higher benefit, I’ll normally recommend they wait as long as possible, up to age 70, to maximize survivor benefits,” said Matt Shumaker, an adviser based in Boston.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
They recommend waiting until cats are tested for diseases and confirmed to be healthy before introducing them to other pets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
“I wouldn’t recommend getting struck. Lightning kills an average of 47 people in America every year and severely injures hundreds, maybe thousands.”
From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty
The report recommends a 10-point plan for AI in education in England, including:
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
In the 2024 special “The End of Obesity,” a doctor recommends semaglutide for Cartman after diet and exercise fail to meaningfully improve his health.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
Dumond recommends that travelers planning to head home for the holidays use Google’s flight-tracker tool to keep up with price changes.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
A three-ingredient treat: If you’d rather nosh on a less processed snack, Noah Lederman recommends a super-fresh dish that’s perfect for late summer: a heavenly concoction he’s dubbed Fish Crudo With Melon and Tomato Water.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
“I don’t like the thought of cutting them either, but it may be our only hope. Dr. Rush recommends it, he was bled himself when he was ill.”
From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson
The European Commission said its proposed legislation built on findings, external from its special panel on child safety online, which recommended age-appropriate regulation for children, with different guidance for each age group.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
But, she said, it would generally be recommended to call wildlife officials for help in a similar situation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Included are only those recommended stocks with ratios of price to earnings, cash flow, sales and book value that are lower than the S&P 500’s and which also have a higher dividend yield.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Barath’s adviser recommended he put 60% in stocks and 40% in fixed-income investments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Lipnitsky didn’t just fling concepts at the reader, but rather gave clear and logical examples of how to do what he recommended.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
This is the first book I’ve ever read that sounds just like a social media feed, with the author recommending product after product, and then stipulating whether or not he is affiliated with them.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
Consumers share tips on how to “sleepmaxx” on social media, recommending devices, from wearables to smart mattresses and alarm clocks, along with DIY remedies like “sleepy girl mocktail” concoctions containing magnesium.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
They divide the menstrual cycle into phases, recommending:
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
As part of its vote, the council also approved an amendment introduced by Councilmember Adrin Nazarian recommending the city attorney assess potential legal liabilities for mandating in-person training requirements.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Deacon Hurd had it all arranged: a typed-up agenda, a written-out prayer—and the formal deacon’s letter to the congregation recommending that First Congregational dismiss Reverend Turner Buckminster from its pulpit.
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
