recommendation
Americannoun
-
recommendations
plural
-
an act of recommending.
-
a letter or the like recommending a person or thing.
-
representation in favor of a person or thing.
-
anything that serves to recommend a person or thing, or induce acceptance or favor.
noun
-
the act of recommending
-
something that recommends, esp a letter presenting someone as suitable for a job, etc
-
something that is recommended, such as a course of action
Usage
Spelling tips for recommendation The word recommendation is hard to spell because it is tricky to know whether the c, the m, and/or the d is doubled. How to spell recommendation: The easiest way to remember how to spell recommend is to break it into three parts: re - com - mend - ation. You can keep the first three sections in mind with the sentence: "I recommend that you rely commonly on mending." The suffix -ation is used to indicate nouns of action and appears in many other words, like starvation and regulation.
Synonym Usage
See advice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of recommendation
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English recommendacion, from Medieval Latin recommendātiōn-, stem of recommendātiō, from recommendāt(us) (past participle of recommendāre; see recommend) + -iō -ion
Explanation
If you give someone a recommendation, you're saying, "try this, it's good" or "this is the best way to proceed," or "this person will do a great job." The noun recommendation stems from the Middle Latin word recommend, meaning "praise" or "present as worthy." Policy makers have made a strong recommendation to implement renewable energy initiatives to alleviate our dependence on fossil fuels. It used to be that you carried a letter of recommendation from a prominent person and used it as an introduction to polite society in an unfamiliar place, but nowadays, such a letter simply explains why someone is qualified for a particular job or school.
Vocabulary lists containing recommendation
CTE Cosmetology (Milady), Vocabulary from Part 1
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!
Conventions, Writing, and Speaking & Listening, Unit 1
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!
"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 7
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:
‘If I’m an analyst and I have a buy recommendation the company’s CFO is willing to talk to me, and if I’ve got a sell recommendation the CFO won’t return my phone calls.’
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
An investigating magistrate is a judge who examines evidence in complex cases before trial and makes a recommendation about whether they should proceed.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Pauling’s recommendation for good health, at around 1,000–2,000mg a day, is around the upper limit of what’s now considered safe to consume.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
Anguiano has asked the UC Academic Senate for a testing recommendation by June 2027.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Herold pleaded their case, mentioning their Confederate credentials and the recommendation from Dr. Mudd.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
Its recommendations include greater interdisciplinary collaboration, new methodological approaches, and longitudinal studies that can track changes over time.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026
The CDC on Tuesday did extend the 2025 recommendations for the flu vaccines to 2026, but otherwise, the administration has been silent on the issue.
From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026
He said his department and employers were "committed to implementing" the panel's recommendations.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Tavares, who no longer works at the school, said his recommendations went nowhere.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
As the war approached its peak, every single American military airplane in production was based fundamentally—and in many cases in specific detail—upon the research results and recommendations of the NACA.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
