recommend
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to present as worthy of confidence, acceptance, use, etc.; commend; mention favorably.
to recommend an applicant for a job; to recommend a book.
- Antonyms:
- condemn
-
to represent or urge as advisable or expedient.
to recommend caution.
-
to advise, as an alternative; suggest (a choice, course of action, etc.) as appropriate, beneficial, or the like.
He recommended the blue-plate special. The doctor recommended special exercises for her.
- Synonyms:
- counsel
-
to make desirable or attractive.
a plan that has very little to recommend it.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
-
(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to advise as the best course or choice; counsel
to recommend prudence
-
to praise or commend
to recommend a new book
-
to make attractive or advisable
the trip has little to recommend it
-
archaic to entrust (a person or thing) to someone else's care; commend
Usage
Spelling tips for recommend The word recommend is hard to spell because it is tricky to know whether the c, the m, and/or the n is doubled. How to spell recommend: The easiest way to remember how to spell recommend is to break it into three parts: re - com - mend. You can keep these three sections in mind with the sentence: "I recommend that you rely commonly on mending."
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
recommendernoun
-
prerecommendverb (used with object)
-
recommendableadjective
-
unrecommendableadjective
-
unrecommendedadjective
-
well-recommendedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
recommendsimple
-
recommendssimple
-
have recommendedperfect
-
has recommendedperfect
-
am recommendingprogressive
-
are recommendingprogressive
-
is recommendingprogressive
-
have been recommendingperfect progressive
-
has been recommendingperfect progressive
Past
-
recommendedsimple
-
had recommendedperfect
-
was recommendingprogressive
-
were recommendingprogressive
-
had been recommendingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of recommend
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English recommenden, from Medieval Latin recommendāre; equivalent to re- + commend
Explanation
If you recommend a person or thing is to vouch for them. Recommend can also be to advise. If your doctor recommended an exercise program to you that's changed your life, you might recommend your doctor to your friends. Recommend is connected to the verb commend "to praise." They are both spelled with one c and two m's, reflecting the prefixes re- and com-. These verbs overlap in some uses: you can recommend or commend an applicant for employment. But commend is used for special or public praise: "He was commended for bravery."
Vocabulary lists containing recommend
"the insanity of selling junk food"
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!
Excerpt from "Bad Boy"
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!
Encourage
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:
I point out to families that I have my own kids, and I would never recommend something for your kids that I wouldn’t do for mine.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
"I had friends who probably wouldn't describe themselves as birders, but more just curious about nature and the world around them, recommend it to me," Megan said.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
I recommend them especially to older and more conservative investors, and I think TIPS, not regular Treasurys, are the real “risk-free asset” — at least to the extent there is such a thing.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
But we can wholeheartedly recommend this dispatch from Slate’s Alexander Sammon, who visited his local Taco Bell to eat chalupas with the brave Americans who aren’t letting the risk of a parasite ruin their appetite.
From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026
“Absolutely. And what do you recommend we do in that regard?”
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
In the case of cancelled flights or accommodation, Bose recommends seeking refunds from your airline, tour operator or accommodation provider in the first instance.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Analyst Cameron Halkett recommends that investors look past the short-term cost impacts of Pinnacle’s acquisition of Pacific Asset Management, and instead focus on underlying net profit to gauge performance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Gomez-Cardona also recommends that couples stress-test their retirement plans for widowhood.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
A 2026 Dietary Guidance to Improve Cardiovascular Health scientific statement from the American Heart Association recommends minimizing added sugar in foods and beverages.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026
When starting, she recommends accepting and reinforcing behaviors that come close to the desired behavior.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Exercise is commonly recommended as one of the first treatments for reducing symptoms and maintaining mobility.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
By age 80 and beyond, a more conservative allocation is often recommended, with 20% in stocks, 50% in bonds and 30% in cash or cash equivalents.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
I recommended to John Carroll, the then-editor of the paper, that he make her a columnist and urged Babitz to write him directly.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
She also said activities can get booked up far in advance, so recommended calling early to secure a spot.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Lister recommended that doctors put a diluted carbolic acid solution on wounds after injury or surgery and also soak bandages and dressings in the chemical.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
The commission said TikTok should put more privacy curbs on minors’ public accounts and avoid recommending minors’ content to other users via its For You feed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The vote followed hours of presentations by FDA scientists who urged against recommending greater access to BPC-157, as well as public comment on both sides of the issue.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The city is recommending “tamper-resistant steel cages around the units,” locking all exterior ladders and setting up motion-activated security cameras that would immediately notify business owners or landlords about unauthorized rooftop activity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
YouTube is still recommending eating disorder videos to teenage users a year after new rules were introduced to curb harmful online content, according to new research.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Deacon Hurd had it all arranged: a typed-up agenda, a written-out prayer—and the formal deacon’s letter to the congregation recommending that First Congregational dismiss Reverend Turner Buckminster from its pulpit.
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
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.
