applaud
Americanverb (used without object)
-
applauds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
applauded,
past participle, past
-
applauding
present participle
-
to clap the hands as an expression of approval, appreciation, acclamation, etc..
They applauded wildly at the end of the opera.
-
to express approval; give praise; acclaim.
verb (used with object)
-
applauds,
present (3rd person singular)
-
applauded,
past participle, past
-
applauding
present participle
-
to clap the hands so as to show approval, appreciation, etc., of.
to applaud an actor; to applaud a speech.
-
to praise or express approval of.
to applaud a person's ambition.
verb
-
to indicate approval of (a person, performance, etc) by clapping the hands
-
(usually tr) to offer or express approval or praise of (an action, person, or thing)
I applaud your decision
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
applaudernoun
-
overapplaudverb
-
reapplaudverb
-
applaudingadjective
-
self-applaudingadjective
-
unapplaudedadjective
-
unapplaudingadjective
-
well-applaudedadjective
-
applaudinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
applaudsimple
-
applaudssimple
-
have applaudedperfect
-
has applaudedperfect
-
am applaudingprogressive
-
are applaudingprogressive
-
is applaudingprogressive
-
have been applaudingperfect progressive
-
has been applaudingperfect progressive
Past
-
applaudedsimple
-
had applaudedperfect
-
was applaudingprogressive
-
were applaudingprogressive
-
had been applaudingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of applaud
1530–40; < Latin applaudere, equivalent to ap- ap- 1 + plaudere to clap the hands
Explanation
To applaud is to show approval, encouragement, or appreciation. You can applaud by clapping your hands at a performance, or you can applaud with just your mouth, as when you tell someone "I applaud your decision to start exercising." The verb applaud goes back to the Latin verb applaudere, "to clap," and it came into English use in the 15th century. Part of the word applaud is laud, which means "praise," and laud is close in spelling to loud. When you applaud, you give loud praise by clapping you hands together. If you really like what someone is doing and want to pat them on the back for it or show encouragement, you might just say "I applaud your efforts."
Vocabulary lists containing applaud
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act V
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Casey at the Bat"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Unit 3, Week 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
“Every now and then,” Cardinals scouting director Randy Flores said, “you just pause and applaud the history of the moment.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
Toward the end of the performance Raul stood and gestured to the crowd that they should stand and applaud.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
The teenager did not receive his medal until he returned to the team hotel on Saturday evening, with the other members of the team gathering to applaud him.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
I know changing careers is intimidating, but I applaud your self-awareness.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
When it was over, Kendra wanted to applaud, but the moment felt too sacred.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
Grimes applauds the couple’s thinking about ways to stay in their home should disability strike, and their willingness to contemplate a move into retirement housing if needed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2025
Yang calls him “perfect” and “brave” and applauds Han for how he “plays to those scenes in a way that is universal and therefore funny, in a way that transcends language.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2025
Most researchers in the green electronics field are searching for alternatives to the rare and expensive materials used in electronic circuitry, so Santato applauds Nair and the team for targeting the underlying circuit board instead.
From Science Magazine ● Nov. 24, 2024
Another viral tweet defending Roan stated, "Chappell Roan is entering the industry with a sense of self-worth that everybody applauds in other women as long as they endure mistreatment for a decade before developing it."
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2024
The boy next to me applauds, and that makes a few other kids clap.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
“I was subbed out and they applauded me; they were cheering me on a lot, and honestly, I’m really grateful for that,” Lozano said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
When he was sent out for his first warm-up during the game, he applauded the positive reception he got from United supporters in the corner he was running towards.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
L.A. believes it should be applauded, not pilloried, for their clever accounting, international reach and vaunted farm system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
He denied his absence was political, though some Dodgers fans applauded the decision anyway.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
As his body was lowered, the rebels on the quays who smoked and watched applauded.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
The audience, which was heavily pro-Bass, eventually started applauding more and more of Raman’s responses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
At the moment of totality, people began applauding.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
No, peptides are not “legal” now, but proponents are applauding the outcome.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
She emerged from the weekend with half the media world and a chorus of Hollywood celebrities wildly applauding her bravery.
From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026
Which is probably why I’m still sitting in my seat when the audience starts applauding.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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.
