extol
Americanverb (used with object)
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extols,
present (3rd person singular)
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extolled,
past participle, past
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extolling
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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extollernoun
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extollmentnoun
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extolmentnoun
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superextolverb (used with object)
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superextollverb (used with object)
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extollinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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extolsimple
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extolssimple
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have extolledperfect
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has extolledperfect
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am extollingprogressive
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are extollingprogressive
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is extollingprogressive
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have been extollingperfect progressive
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has been extollingperfect progressive
Past
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extolledsimple
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had extolledperfect
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was extollingprogressive
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were extollingprogressive
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had been extollingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of extol
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English extollen, from Latin extollere “to lift up, raise,” equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + tollere “to lift, raise up”
Explanation
If you have a crush on a guy who likes your best friend, it can be very depressing to listen to him extol your friend's virtues, while you just nod and smile. If you extol something, you praise it very highly. The Bible says: "Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven..." Nebuchadnezzar II was king of the second Babylonian Empire, the one who sent the Jews into exile. In some translations of the Bible, the word honor is replaced with glorify. Praise, extol, honor, glorify all mean about the same. The use of multiple synonymous words in a given sentence is a frequent motif in the Bible.
Vocabulary lists containing extol
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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:
Also, I am afraid your columns do not sufficiently extol the value of work, which Voltaire rightly claimed protects us from the evils of boredom, vice, and poverty.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
That’s because after DJ Khaled and Kenan Thompson extol the virtues of this miracle drug, a voiceover recounts a litany of potential side effects—vomiting, diarrhea, kidney problems, things of that nature.
From Slate ● Feb. 8, 2026
Now, listening to her extol the benefits, cold plunging seemed like something to consider, or at least contend with.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
A local gathering in honor of loved ones in the military, during which community leaders extol the bravery and resolve of those who serve, is among the best-attended events in my small rural town.
From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2024
I could extol your virtues endlessly, but I want you to finish reading and answer me quickly.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
“They just slap you across the face with their style and with their relevancy,” extols Meyers of the poems.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
President Trump frequently extols Saudi Arabia for its extraordinary wealth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 17, 2025
Barrett extols a judge’s obligation to “resolve disputes according to the ground rules that the people have prescribed,” but that responsibility is meaningless in the absence of reliable evidence.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2025
The first Swedish-language entry since 2012, the song extols the practice's stress-busting virtues.
From BBC ● May 16, 2025
He reassures Pa and Ma about Vincent, and he extols their virtues to Vincent.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
Fidel Castro extolled the medics as an “army of white coats” who provided free health services for the poor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
I have extolled the virtues of both of these lessons in my columns over the years.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
Singling out their work ethic, Mantello extolled the way Lane and Metcalf can be relied on to hit the ground running.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
In that same evening address, President Trump extolled the US's oil producing capabilities.
From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026
While his theory was being challenged and extolled, Charles’s health continued to plague him.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Last week, Ellison attempted a high-profile reputation reboot, extolling his love for movies and blaming politics for opposition to the deal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
But they aren’t extolling the candidacy of former military helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett, who is running to unseat a GOP congressman in New Jersey, or of retired Vice Adm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
I had spent the past couple of weeks corresponding with Raw Farm founder Mark McAfee, who’d filled my inbox with messages and PowerPoints extolling the virtues of his most important, and controversial, product:
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
The president is extolling the virtues of the East Wing ballroom.
From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026
Brother Mance would pace the floor, extolling my abilities with pen and paper.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
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.
