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 ambitious efforts earlier in the LP are laudable, but ultimately don’t land. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 1 Nov. 2024 And if that means rich and poor alike are reporting large and small amounts of income as tips, that too is a laudable outcome. John Tamny, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 While the ambition is laudable, American critics are mixed on the execution. Nate Jones, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2024 Bonta’s lawsuit will hold Exxon accountable for its disinformation around advanced recycling in addition to traditional recycling—another unprecedented and laudable move. Judith Enck, Scientific American, 5 Oct. 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

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near laudable

Cite this Entry

“Laudable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laudable. Accessed 26 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!