commendation
Americannoun
-
commendations
plural
-
the act of commending; recommendation; praise.
commendation for a job well done.
- Synonyms:
- applause, approbation, approval
- Antonyms:
- condemnation
-
something that commends, as a formal recommendation or an official citation or award.
a commendation for bravery.
- Antonyms:
- condemnation
-
Feudal Law. the placing of oneself or one's land under the protection of a lord so as to become his vassal.
-
Archaic. commendations, a complimentary greeting or message.
noun
-
the act or an instance of commending; praise
-
an award
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of commendation
1175–1225; Middle English commendacioun (< Anglo-French ) < Latin commendātiōn- (stem of commendātiō ) a commending to God. See commend, -ation
Explanation
If you got a commendation for your brave deeds during the earthquake, then congratulations! A commendation is an award praising someone’s actions. A commendation can be an official award for notable action, often given out by a government or other group. A police officer might receive a special commendation for being particularly brave. This kind of commendation is often awarded at a public ceremony. You can also use commendation more broadly to mean "praise," even if it's not official. It'd be nice to tell your teacher she deserves commendation for the good-natured way she has handled your rowdy class all year.
Vocabulary lists containing commendation
Richard Nixon's "Checkers" Speech (1952)
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50 Words from Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice"
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Twelfth Night
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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:
That remarkable level of discipline should have gotten John a commendation.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
Her former regiment highlighted her bravery when attending to an overturned vehicle in the Falklands that left multiple Welsh Guards injured – which won her a commendation award.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026
The jurists are hardly due a commendation, since their previous ruling on the question was reversed 9-0 by the Supreme Court this summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
The service will end with the final commendation and valediction, marking the beginning of nine days of mourning for the Pope, the Catholic news agency reported.
From BBC ● Apr. 22, 2025
After the investigation, Hoover sent a letter of commendation to White that said, “You brought credit and distinction not only to yourself but to the service we all have at heart.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
The service-member plaintiffs collectively had more than 130 years of military service and more than 80 commendations.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
Trump, on the last full day of his first term, awarded Fauci and other members of the Operation Warp Speed team presidential commendations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
“He engaged in extensive self-help programming, maintained an excellent work history, and received numerous commendations from correctional staff for his positive transformation.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2025
She told the court Nicholls had worked as a healthcare assistant at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge during the Covid-19 pandemic and had received a number of commendations during his time there.
From BBC ● Dec. 19, 2023
Enuious aboue all measure; nothing was so grieuous to his eyes as the prosperitie, nothing so harsh to his eares as the commendations of others.
From The Lives of the III Normans, Kings of England: William the First, William the Second, Henrie the First by John Hayward
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
