commend
Americanverb (used with object)
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commends,
present (3rd person singular)
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commended,
past participle, past
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commending
present participle
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to present, mention, or praise as worthy of confidence, notice, kindness, etc.; recommend.
to commend a friend to another;
to commend an applicant for employment.
- Antonyms:
- censure
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to entrust; give in charge; deliver with confidence.
I commend my child to your care.
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to cite or name with approval or special praise.
to commend a soldier for bravery.
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Feudal Law. to place (oneself or one's land) under another's protection so as to become his vassal.
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Archaic. to recommend (a person) to the kind remembrance of another.
verb
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to present or represent as being worthy of regard, confidence, kindness, etc; recommend
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to give in charge; entrust
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to express a good opinion of; praise
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to give the regards of
commend me to your aunt
Synonym Usage
See approve.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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commendablenessnoun
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commendernoun
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overcommendverb (used with object)
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commendableadjective
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commendatoryadjective
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commendablyadverb
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commendinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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commendsimple
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commendssimple
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have commendedperfect
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has commendedperfect
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am commendingprogressive
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are commendingprogressive
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is commendingprogressive
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have been commendingperfect progressive
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has been commendingperfect progressive
Past
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commendedsimple
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had commendedperfect
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was commendingprogressive
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were commendingprogressive
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had been commendingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of commend
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English commenden, from Latin commendāre, equivalent to com- com- + -mendāre, combining form of mandāre; see mandate
Explanation
Have you ever shouted "Bravo!" at the end of a play or cooed "Good boy!" to the dog when he followed a command? Then you know how to commend someone — in other words, to express approval aloud. The most common meaning of commend is "to compliment." You commend someone when you tell them "Well done!" You can even say "I commend you on your hard work." Back in the days of Charles Dickens, commend often meant to put (someone or something) in the hands of someone else for safekeeping. Case in point: David Copperfield was out of luck when his cruel stepdad commended him to the equally cruel schoolmaster Mr. Creakle at Salem house.
Vocabulary lists containing commend
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I've Been to the Mountaintop" (1968)
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Much Ado About Nothing
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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:
“Their resiliency is so pronounced; it’s special. You’ve been brave and we commend you,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
We commend Mary Marslender for her dedicated advocacy on behalf of patients with disabilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
“We commend Governor Newsom for his leadership in making this much needed change a reality.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
“We are grateful that the family is safe and commend our officers for their swift response,” the department said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 13, 2026
Miss Palma did commend me on my “rhetorical flair,” though.
From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
There is an amiability to Mr. Dale’s voice, though, that commends him both to the ear and to the material.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
In a statement, the management said it "welcomes the release of its editor and commends the courtesy, professionalism, and attentiveness demonstrated by investigators throughout the process".
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2025
Zoe Delahunty-Light, a video producer at website Eurogamer, commends The Sims for making "great strides" with diversity and working with creators to build authentic representation into the game.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2025
Glenn Whipp also commends him for “capturing the writer’s tragic flaws and winning charm.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2024
From her who commends herself to you, and is willing to render any good offices in return.
From Famous European Artists by Sarah K. Bolton
"The board of directors commended the very good operational performance of all business segments which enabled the company to capture higher market prices," the company said in its earnings statement.
From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026
While declining to endorse Bass, Caruso commended the mayor by saying “she’s done her work, and she’s worked with the team, and I compliment this.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2026
Several reviewers in Spain commended their approach as a breath of fresh air.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
Rodriguez has been a vocal advocate for placing the cameras across Texas and has commended their use in Laredo and elsewhere for allowing a new approach to detecting crime.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
He commended me for my ambition and said he would think about what I had said.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
During Sharaa's last visit in January, Putin said "much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations", commending Sharaa for his "efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity".
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Normally primary candidates postpone commending their opponents until after they’ve either won or lost; Mr. Youngkin expresses his before the contest has started.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
The Los Angeles Police Department released a statement commending the protesters for their cooperation and peacefulness, which led to a demonstration "without incident."
From Salon ● Jun. 11, 2025
"No doubt this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers," he said, while commending the "bravery" of those who had overpowered the suspect.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2025
Before commending himself to his destiny, however, the astronaut implored the engineers to execute one more check: a review of the orbital trajectory that had been generated by the IBM 7090 computer.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
