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:
It was a key recommendation of the UK Covid Inquiry, and has been a focus for campaigners.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
This gives the company a full valuation, Barclays says, so it reiterates its underweight recommendation on the stock and price target of 170 pence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
The second recommendation is to create an international body to standardize both how we train and how we contain AI models.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
The government has now announced it will accept the CMA's recommendation to strengthen regulation in the sector.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Consider the “virtually” in the letter of recommendation excerpted above.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
It offered drivers maps and recommendations for places to eat and stay, before evolving into one of the best-known names in restaurant recognition.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Kay heads a 21-member board that makes recommendations to the membership which then votes up or down on them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
“But as you might share your recommendations, she might bring some additional concerns or additional layers of context.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
Papernot, who has signed an open letter with recommendations for policymakers, spoke to AFP about why AI makes these attacks harder to stop.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
What were they supposed to tell the record numbers of applicants who had been rejected—the ones with straight As, enthusiastic recommendations, polished essays, and long lists of activities?
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
