laud
verb (used with object)
to praise; extol.
Jump To:
laud
1 American
[lawd]
/ lɔd /
verb (used with object)
lauds,
present (3rd person singular)
lauded,
past participle, past
lauding
present participle
noun
-
a song or hymn of praise.
-
(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
laud
1
British
/ lɔːd /
verb
noun
Laud
2
British
/ lɔːd /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has laudedperfect 3rd person singular
-
have laudedperfect
-
have been laudingperfect progressive
-
are laudingprogressive
-
is laudingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
am laudingprogressive 1st person singular
-
laudingparticiple
-
has been laudingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
laudssingular 3rd person
Past
-
had laudedperfect
-
had been laudingperfect progressive
-
were laudingprogressive plural
-
laudedsimple
-
was laudingprogressive singular
-
laudedparticiple
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.
Vocabulary lists containing laud
Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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!
This Week in Pop Culture: December 1 - 7, 2018
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!
This Week in Words: January 5 - 11, 2019
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.
The Official Monster Raving Loony Party has named its leader and co-founder - Alan Hope - otherwise known as Alan "Howlin" Laud Hope.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
The trial heard he was living at Ms Aspey's flat in Laud Close while renovation work was being undertaken at his own property.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2021
If Margaret Catchpole had never set eyes on smuggler Will Laud, she would have probably married a ploughman, conceived a brood of children and died in her bed on her beloved Suffolk soil.
From The Guardian • Jul. 1, 2012
Alastair Cording's play tells the tale of Margaret, a Suffolk lass who becomes a nursemaid to the rich Cobbold family but who falls for the charms of the smuggler, Will Laud.
From The Guardian • Jun. 15, 2012
Still she resolved not to touch it, but to keep it, as the property of Laud, until she should be more sure of his death.
From The History of Margaret Catchpole A Suffolk Girl by Cobbold, Richard
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.
