praise

[preyz]

noun

1. the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation.

   Synonyms: compliment, approbation, applause, plaudit, acclamation
   Antonyms: condemnation

2. the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship.

   a hymn of praise to God.

   Synonyms: panegyric, eulogy, encomium

3. the state of being approved or admired.

   The king lived in praise for many years.

4. Archaic.,  a ground for praise, or a merit.

verb (used with object)

praised, praising 

1. to express approval or admiration of; commend; extol.

   Synonyms: eulogize, applaud, laud
   Antonyms: depreciate

2. to offer grateful homage to (God or a deity), as in words or song.

   Synonyms: honor, exalt, glorify

praise

/ preɪz /

noun

1. the act of expressing commendation, admiration, etc

2. the extolling of a deity or the rendering of homage and gratitude to a deity

3. the condition of being commended, admired, etc

4. archaic,  the reason for praise

5. to commend someone highly

verb

1. to express commendation, admiration, etc, for

2. to proclaim or describe the glorious attributes of (a deity) with homage and thanksgiving

Other Word Forms

• praiseful adjective
• praisefully adverb
• praiseless adjective
• praiser noun
• half-praised adjective
• half-praising adjective
• outpraise verb (used with object)
• repraise verb (used with object)
• self-praise noun
• self-praising adjective
• superpraise noun
• unpraised adjective
• unpraiseful adjective
• unpraising adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of praise¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb preisen, from Old French preisier “to value, prize,” from Late Latin pretiāre, derivative of Latin pretium “worth, reward” ( price ); noun derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of praise¹

C13: from Old French preisier, from Late Latin pretiāre to esteem highly, from Latin pretium prize; compare _prize ², _precious

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sing someone's praises, to praise someone publicly and enthusiastically.

   He is always singing his wife's praises.

More idioms and phrases containing praise

• damn with faint praise
• sing someone's praises

Synonym Study

See approve.

Example Sentences

After about 36 hours of near-unanimous adulation for Allen and “West End Girl,” with everyone from your older sister to Gwyneth Paltrow posting praise for the album, the tides started to turn.

Read more on Salon

Then, while standing aboard a U.S. warship docked near Tokyo, he heaped praise on new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for her plans to sharply boost military spending.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He also praised the Apec countries for making the global trading system, which he said had been "broken" and "in urgent need of reform", fairer.

Read more on BBC

The Ministry of Defence has said it is alarmed by the allegations and praised those who have come forward for their bravery.

Read more on BBC

There is still criticism, of course, but all the praise Arteta is getting is fully deserved.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• acclaim 
• accolade 
• applause 
• appreciation 
• approval 
• cheer 
• commendation 
• compliment 
• cry 
• devotion 
• esteem 
• glory 
• kudos 
• ovation 
• plaudit 
• rave 
• recognition 
• recommendation 
• thanks 
• tribute