praise
Americannoun
-
the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation.
- Synonyms:
- compliment, approbation, applause, plaudit, acclamation
- Antonyms:
- condemnation
-
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
Derived Forms
-
praisernoun
-
self-praisenoun
-
superpraisenoun
-
outpraiseverb (used with object)
-
repraiseverb (used with object)
-
half-praisedadjective
-
half-praisingadjective
-
praisefuladjective
-
praiselessadjective
-
self-praisingadjective
-
unpraisedadjective
-
unpraisefuladjective
-
unpraisingadjective
-
praisefullyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
praisesimple
-
praisessimple
-
have praisedperfect
-
has praisedperfect
-
am praisingprogressive
-
are praisingprogressive
-
is praisingprogressive
-
have been praisingperfect progressive
-
has been praisingperfect progressive
Past
-
praisedsimple
-
had praisedperfect
-
was praisingprogressive
-
were praisingprogressive
-
had been praisingperfect progressive
Future
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
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!
Beowulf vocabulary
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!
"The Tragedy of Macbeth," Vocabulary from Act 1
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.
See Examples For:
Burwell said he’s flattered by recent online praise from the likes of Ethel Cain, Flying Lotus and Kid Cudi for his score.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Aside from the high-scoring names like Kane and Bellingham, Spence is one of the players who has come in for particular praise this tournament for his solid defensive displays.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
However, Kimi’s latest model received praise for its innovation.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
The comparisons and the praise flatter him, said Messi, who then used the same words to describe Yamal as the best.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
I looked down at my feet, embarrassed at all her praise.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
Paid posts from food bloggers "who sing high praises about shops or destinations" have also drawn complaints when their recommendations are disappointing.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
Williams, often seen singing the praises of GLP-1 weight-loss medication as a spokesperson for the online health outfit Ro, says she’s coming back because she wants her children to see her play.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
The Daily Mail praises what it describes as a "wonder goal" by Jude Bellingham, which the Times says helped secure an "impressive opening group stage victory" for England.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
There’s not enough hours in the day to sing her praises.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 4, 2026
From far away they could hear the voice of a radio announcer singing the praises of Dr. Ross’s pills, tiny but effective against constipation, insomnia, and bad breath.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Witkoff did not wait until the inauguration to get started—he immediately began working on a Gaza ceasefire alongside Biden officials, a role some experienced diplomats cautiously praised.
From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026
Drapatiy, meanwhile, has publicly praised Fedorov, not just for his support for Ukraine’s drone program but for his attempts to help the armed forces adapt more quickly to a changing technological environment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Fedorov, 35, has been widely praised for energising the ministry and transforming the armed forces, as well as leading a drive against corruption.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Union leaders praised his people skills and his willingness to negotiate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
“Many heard of him. He was a friend of Zau the Master. Zau himself praised his work.”
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
As so often in this book, Mr. Smith, in an attempt to put the best face possible on the U.S.S.R., seems to be praising with faint damns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Good opened her show on Friday by praising the "extraordinary" response of NHS staff at Bedford Hospital and University College Hospital in London, where she was treated for her facial injuries.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
"No other administration in the past since post-independence Kenya has made payouts to victims of protests," said political analyst Javas Bigambo, praising Ruto's ambitious plans to revamp social housing, health insurance and infrastructure.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
Also praising Chait during that April gathering in City Hall was Maria Nichols, president of Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, which represents schools principals and assistant principals among others.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
The village gathers, and the young men sing songs they’ve made up themselves—songs praising the elders or their families or the cattle.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
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.
