commend
Americanverb (used with object)
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to present, mention, or praise as worthy of confidence, notice, kindness, etc.; recommend.
to commend a friend to another;
to commend an applicant for employment.
- Antonyms:
- censure
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to entrust; give in charge; deliver with confidence.
I commend my child to your care.
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to cite or name with approval or special praise.
to commend a soldier for bravery.
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Feudal Law. to place (oneself or one's land) under another's protection so as to become his vassal.
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Archaic. to recommend (a person) to the kind remembrance of another.
verb
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to present or represent as being worthy of regard, confidence, kindness, etc; recommend
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to give in charge; entrust
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to express a good opinion of; praise
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to give the regards of
commend me to your aunt
Synonym Usage
See approve.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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commendablenessnoun
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commendernoun
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overcommendverb (used with object)
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commendableadjective
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commendatoryadjective
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commendablyadverb
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commendinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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commendsimple
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commendssimple
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have commendedperfect
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has commendedperfect
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am commendingprogressive
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are commendingprogressive
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is commendingprogressive
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have been commendingperfect progressive
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has been commendingperfect progressive
Past
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commendedsimple
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had commendedperfect
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was commendingprogressive
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were commendingprogressive
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had been commendingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of commend
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English commenden, from Latin commendāre, equivalent to com- com- + -mendāre, combining form of mandāre; see mandate
Explanation
Have you ever shouted "Bravo!" at the end of a play or cooed "Good boy!" to the dog when he followed a command? Then you know how to commend someone — in other words, to express approval aloud. The most common meaning of commend is "to compliment." You commend someone when you tell them "Well done!" You can even say "I commend you on your hard work." Back in the days of Charles Dickens, commend often meant to put (someone or something) in the hands of someone else for safekeeping. Case in point: David Copperfield was out of luck when his cruel stepdad commended him to the equally cruel schoolmaster Mr. Creakle at Salem house.
Vocabulary lists containing commend
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I've Been to the Mountaintop" (1968)
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Much Ado About Nothing
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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:
"I commend the effort, professionalism, and integrity shown by referee Omar," Mohamud said.
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Consequently, any attempt to commend the ascetic practices of one religion to the other is fruitless.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
“We commend the EPA for their commitment to reevaluating these policies.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
"We were 40-50 runs short. Must commend the guys in the bottom half for giving us a chance."
From Barron's ● Feb. 26, 2026
“Ravenskillians, it has been a trying time in our fair home. I commend you all for your patience, your resilience, and your commitment to your community.”
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
"More generally, the SNP welcomes the verdict against Mr Linden and commends the bravery of the individuals who came forward and shared their experiences with the police."
From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026
There is an amiability to Mr. Dale’s voice, though, that commends him both to the ear and to the material.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 19, 2025
In a statement, the management said it "welcomes the release of its editor and commends the courtesy, professionalism, and attentiveness demonstrated by investigators throughout the process".
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2025
And Barnes, who directed Episodes 4 through 6, commends her capacity to be present for her fellow actors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2025
From the man downstairs she had learned kindness, had learned that not all mistakes are sins, had learned that there is a judgment above that which denounces or commends by rule of thumb.
From Bruce of the Circle A by Titus, Harold
At Birmingham Children's Hospital he commended the work of the WellChild charity, of which he is a patron, and which works with children with complex medical needs and supports their families.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
A van driver who gave a lift to an armed police officer has been commended for helping catch a fleeing suspect.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
In another statement Monday, Macron said he commended President Trump during a phone call Sunday night for his “commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Lebanon.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
South Carolina State University President Alexander Conyers commended the students for objecting “in a manner that reflects the importance of civic engagement and respectful discourse.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
He commended her on her thoroughness, but said the idea of presenting a subject is the ability to focus.
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Normally primary candidates postpone commending their opponents until after they’ve either won or lost; Mr. Youngkin expresses his before the contest has started.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
This leaves us torn between wanting to make jokes about her for not knowing this was in the bill or commending her for owning up to it and appropriately criticizing it.
From Slate ● Jun. 7, 2025
"No doubt this would have been a very terrifying incident for the passengers," he said, while commending the "bravery" of those who had overpowered the suspect.
From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2025
At just 21, Brown's post has been viewed millions of times across platforms like X and Instagram, with countless people online commending the actress for speaking up.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2025
“Officer Delinko, you’re back on the road, effective immediately. In addition, the sergeant has written a letter commending the outstanding job you did in capturing our suspect. This will become part of your permanent file.”
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
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.
