praise
Americannoun
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the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation.
- Synonyms:
- compliment, approbation, applause, plaudit, acclamation
- Antonyms:
- condemnation
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the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship.
a hymn of praise to God.
-
the state of being approved or admired.
The king lived in praise for many years.
-
Archaic. a ground for praise, or a merit.
verb (used with object)
idioms
noun
-
the act of expressing commendation, admiration, etc
-
the extolling of a deity or the rendering of homage and gratitude to a deity
-
the condition of being commended, admired, etc
-
archaic the reason for praise
-
to commend someone highly
verb
-
to express commendation, admiration, etc, for
-
to proclaim or describe the glorious attributes of (a deity) with homage and thanksgiving
Synonym Usage
See approve.
Other Word Forms
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half-praisedadjective
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half-praisingadjective
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outpraiseverb (used with object)
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praisefuladjective
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praisefullyadverb
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praiselessadjective
-
praisernoun
-
repraiseverb (used with object)
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self-praisenoun
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self-praisingadjective
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superpraisenoun
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unpraisedadjective
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unpraisefuladjective
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unpraisingadjective
Etymology
Origin of praise
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb preisen, from Old French preisier “to value, prize,” from Late Latin pretiāre, derivative of Latin pretium “worth, reward” ( see price); noun derivative of the verb
Explanation
Praise means "admiration or approval," and when you're on the receiving end of it, you feel great. Whether it's used as a verb or a noun, praise means "approval." If you enthusiastically praise your dog, he's likely to wag his tail and expect a treat. What you've given him (in addition to the treat) is praise, the noun. In a religious context, the verb praise is interchangeable with worship, as when a minister says, "Praise God."
Vocabulary lists containing praise
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act I
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Beowulf vocabulary
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"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 1
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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.
Social-media posts are full of praise for IUL, often from paid influencers who are part of multilevel marketing-type arrangements, Boersma said.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
It’s what pays the bills when the kind of mid-budget films that once boasted Gyllenhaal’s richest characters and generated most of his critical praise are being phased out by studio mergers and streaming platforms.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
Magpies boss Martin Paterson was glowing in his praise of Jones' display - but he also highlighted the work of others within the team for helping the wide man sparkle.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
“Love and Death in the American Novel” made its case without bothering with notes or bibliography, yet garnered praise from such eminent critics as Lionel Trilling and George Steiner.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
She’d sing hymns with Ma, eyes heavenward, arms uplifted, then pressed to her heart, acting out the words and trying to lead Ma, saying, “Let us praise the Lord, Sister Aku!”
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
