laudable

adjective

laud·​able ˈlȯ-də-bəl How to pronounce laudable (audio)
: worthy of praise : commendable
She has shown a laudable devotion to her children.
laudableness noun
laudably adverb

Did you know?

Let’s have a hearty round of applause for laudable, a word that never fails to celebrate the positive. Laudable comes ultimately from Latin laud- or laus, meaning "praise," as does laudatory. However, the two differ in meaning, and usage commentators warn against using them interchangeably. Laudable means "deserving praise" or "praiseworthy," as in "laudable efforts to help the disadvantaged." Laudatory means "giving praise" or "expressing praise," as in "a laudatory book review." People occasionally use laudatory in place of laudable, but this use is not considered standard.

Examples of laudable in a Sentence

Improving the schools is a laudable goal. you showed laudable restraint in dealing with that ridiculously demanding customer
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Charter Revision Commission appointed by Mayor Adams on Thursday serves two purposes and both are laudable. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 Dec. 2024 Finally, although the desire to help people struggling to earn higher income is laudable, saddling them with long-term debt and exposing them to unexpected maintenance costs that could further strain their budgets is no way to help. Norbert Michel, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Chip Moore, the third candidate in the race, is running on a platform of affordable housing and police accountability — laudable goals — but makes no mention of the city budget and avoided directly answering questions about the adequacy of police staffing. East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 31 Oct. 2024 That’s a laudable message, but there’s something frustratingly undeveloped about this love story. Will Leitch, Vulture, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for laudable 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laudable was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near laudable

Cite this Entry

“Laudable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laudable. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

laudable

adjective
laud·​able ˈlȯd-ə-bəl How to pronounce laudable (audio)
laudableness noun
laudably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on laudable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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