recommend
Americanverb (used with object)
-
recommends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recommended,
past participle, past
-
recommending
present participle
-
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
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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
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to make desirable or attractive.
a plan that has very little to recommend it.
verb (used without object)
-
recommends,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recommended,
past participle, past
-
recommending
present participle
noun
verb
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(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
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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
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recommendernoun
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prerecommendverb (used with object)
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recommendableadjective
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unrecommendableadjective
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unrecommendedadjective
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well-recommendedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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recommendsimple
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recommendssimple
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have recommendedperfect
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has recommendedperfect
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am recommendingprogressive
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are recommendingprogressive
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is recommendingprogressive
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have been recommendingperfect progressive
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has been recommendingperfect progressive
Past
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recommendedsimple
-
had recommendedperfect
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was recommendingprogressive
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were recommendingprogressive
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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
Excerpt from "Bad Boy"
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"the insanity of selling junk food"
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Encourage
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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.
See Examples For:
It is expected that the report will find there were significant safeguarding failures, and will recommend changes across the NHS.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Oil prices remained above the $100 threshold on Monday — and strategists recommend seizing the opportunity to buy stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
They recommend waiting until cats are tested for diseases and confirmed to be healthy before introducing them to other pets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
Experts recommend focusing on classic disciplines that hone uniquely human skills and capabilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
I’m about to recommend a good hoovering, but the Colonel speaks first.
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
In the 2024 special “The End of Obesity,” a doctor recommends semaglutide for Cartman after diet and exercise fail to meaningfully improve his health.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
KKR recommends infrastructure, asset-based finance, opportunistic credit and operational improvement-driven buyouts.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
Mr. Schore recommends visualizations—such as imagining “your happy place” during difficult interactions—and affirmations, sometimes speaking to your own reflection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
A three-ingredient treat: If you’d rather nosh on a less processed snack, Noah Lederman recommends a super-fresh dish that’s perfect for late summer: a heavenly concoction he’s dubbed Fish Crudo With Melon and Tomato Water.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
Our medic recommends complete bed rest for you.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Tucked between two mountains, Buam-dong is recommended by travellers and locals for its picturesque views, art galleries and cosy cafes - an escape from Seoul's bustle.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
But, she said, it would generally be recommended to call wildlife officials for help in a similar situation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
With that thought in mind, the list below contains those value stocks currently recommended for purchase by at least two of the investment newsletters monitored by my performance-auditing firm.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Reliance said its directors unanimously recommended the offer to shareholders, who could opt to receive U.S. dollars or 4.75 Australian dollars a share.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
A librarian recommended some John R. Tunis books, mostly about baseball, which I liked.
From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers
This is the first book I’ve ever read that sounds just like a social media feed, with the author recommending product after product, and then stipulating whether or not he is affiliated with them.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
Last month, Shawn Plummer, who sells annuities through an online platform called The Annuity Expert, told his two salespeople to stop recommending Delaware Life or Clear Spring policies to prospective customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The Police Ombudsman submitted a misconduct file to the PSNI, recommending the two officers should be disciplined for failing to properly investigate the case and not providing adequate updates to the complainant.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
As part of its vote, the council also approved an amendment introduced by Councilmember Adrin Nazarian recommending the city attorney assess potential legal liabilities for mandating in-person training requirements.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Boyle, it is true, wanted to bring alchemy a little into the public eye, if only in order to make it easier for alchemists to identify each other—Newton immediately told him off, recommending ‘high silence’.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
