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  • laud
    laud
    verb (used with object)
    to praise; extol.
  • Laud
    Laud
    noun
    William, 1573–1645, archbishop of Canterbury and opponent of Puritanism: executed for treason.
Synonyms

laud

1 American  
[lawd] / lɔd /

verb (used with object)

  • lauds,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • lauded,
    past participle,  past
  • lauding
    present participle
  1. to praise; extol.

    Synonyms:
    honor, applaud
    Antonyms:
    censure

noun

  1. a song or hymn of praise.

  2. (used with a singular or plural verb) lauds, a canonical hour, marked especially by psalms of praise, usually recited with matins.

Laud 2 American  
[lawd] / lɔd /

noun

  1. William, 1573–1645, archbishop of Canterbury and opponent of Puritanism: executed for treason.


laud 1 British  
/ lɔːd /

verb

  1. (tr) to praise or glorify

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. praise or glorification

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Laud 2 British  
/ lɔːd /

noun

  1. William. 1573–1645, English prelate; archbishop of Canterbury (1633–45). His persecution of Puritans and his High Church policies in England and Scotland were a cause of the Civil War; he was impeached by the Long Parliament (1640) and executed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of laud

First recorded in 1300–50; (verb) Middle English lauden, from Latin laudāre “to praise,” derivative of laus (stem laud- ) “praise”; (noun) Middle English laude, back formation from laudes (plural), from Late Latin, special use of plural of Latin laus “praise”

Explanation

To laud someone means to praise them extravagantly — usually in a very public manner. A music critic might laud a new song by calling it the best summer anthem ever created. The word laud is from the Latin word laudere, meaning "to praise.” To laud someone is to glorify them, or to sing their praises, even if you’re not actually singing. Movie reviewers might laud Oscar-nominated films, and your high school principal might laud the class valedictorian at graduation.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing laud

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:

White House spokesman Kush Desai was quick to laud the growth rate, saying it was "driven by an astonishing surge in business investment."

From Barron's Apr. 30, 2026

While it’s all well and good to laud Mamdani’s extraordinary political talents and inspiring leadership for social justice, at the same time we should recognize that he has entered into an embrace with a rattlesnake.

From Salon Nov. 26, 2025

To laud Charles, JPMorgan lit up the top of its new $3 billion Manhattan skyscraper with the insignia of the kingdom, an unusual event in a city that chased out the British in 1783.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 21, 2025

Their promotional video shows Māori performing a traditional poi dance and the haka, a ceremonial war dance, as project leaders laud the “complete partnership” between Māori and Colossal Biosciences.

From Slate Aug. 8, 2025

Polybius, interestingly, can’t bring himself to laud the monarch’s generosity as much as to credit the Rhodians for publicizing their plight so effectively!

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

There’s the Monster Raving Loony Party, established in 1982, which has now run in 11 general elections and is currently headed by someone calling himself Howling Laud Hope.

From Slate Aug. 12, 2026

His fellow party candidates are called Baron von Thunderclap and Howling Laud Hope.

From Barron's Aug. 11, 2026

Eight of these names have already appeared on multiple ballot papers elsewhere in the UK however, including Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox and satirical candidates Count Binface and Howling Laud Hope.

From BBC Aug. 5, 2026

That isn’t including those who think it’s time Count Binface or Howling Laud Hope was given his chance.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 29, 2026

Between the young men and Will Laud a quick intimacy commenced.

From The History of Margaret Catchpole A Suffolk Girl by Richard Cobbold

Zechner lauds the company for “dogfooding” its own software—that is, using it to build its own internal systems.

From The Wall Street Journal May 22, 2026

Eduardo Sanchez lauds the company’s economic impact and is hesitant to criticize the smelter.

From Salon May 10, 2026

A post on Morningstar’s website lauds the fund for its “time-tested approach and accomplished lead manager.”

From Barron's Oct. 16, 2025

Enfield also lauds the 6-foot-3 guard’s improvement as a decision maker and defender averaging three assists, 1.3 steals and 3.6 rebounds per game.

From Los Angeles Times Mar. 7, 2024

The honour and veracity of Hanmer must prevail over the “liveliness” of Warburton, for Hurd lauds his “lively preface to his Shakspeare.”

From Calamities and Quarrels of Authors by Isaac Disraeli

Hundreds of thousands of gig workers in Australia have been granted a huge pay rise from next week under a decision by the country's workplace relations tribunal lauded as "world-leading".

From Barron's Aug. 12, 2026

While e-bikes are lauded for increasing exercise and helping Angelenos get around in a city otherwise built for cars, injuries from e-bike crashes have surged, especially in minors, according to the motion.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 4, 2026

Damon is the simplest and most reliable vehicle to tell us about a complicated man, as the highly lauded translator Emily Wilson describes Odysseus.

From Salon Aug. 2, 2026

Davidson’s Gil Luria recently lauded the company’s Copilot AI assistant for its ability to meet demand for an “orchestration layer” below frontier models.

From MarketWatch Jul. 22, 2026

The crime was sensationalized by the local media, which lauded the police and prosecutor for coming to the aid of a defenseless infant.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Arday’s publisher had stood by him, lauding the academic’s “professionalism and integrity.”

From Salon Aug. 23, 2026

Gov. Gavin Newsom endorsed Mayor Karen Bass in her bid for reelection Thursday, lauding her for reductions in street homelessness and violent crime in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times May 28, 2026

Commencement speakers lauding the technology are drawing jeers.

From The Wall Street Journal May 22, 2026

Just hours earlier, top administration officials had been lauding the shift from Operation Epic Fury—the war part of the conflict—to Project Freedom, an operation Trump announced on Sunday that began on Monday.

From Barron's May 5, 2026

I praised the response as “magnificent” to the press, lauding our people for “defying unprecedented intimidation by the state.”

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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