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 The proposal is campaign talk, laudable goals but more extreme than appropriate or feasible. Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 And as democracy seems ever more tenuous, with Trump arguing that a former president is essentially immune from all criminal prosecution for conduct in office forever and ever, a non-Soviet style election is a laudable goal. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2024 On the positive side, DeSantis spoke of raising teacher pay, importing cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, and expanding workforce education and environmental protection — all laudable goals. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2024 And there certainly is something laudable about the perseverance that culminated in the victory over the Golden State Warriors that opened this five-game trip. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2024 That’s a relatively quick turnaround for a Superfund site, and the project is laudable, said Gussie Maguire, Maryland staff scientist for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2024 Beating Cal was laudable given the circumstances, and having one game this week is a plus. Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2024 De los Santos said teacher pay raises are laudable. Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 3 Jan. 2024 That’s a laudable goal, but one that will be very hard to deliver on. Helen Branswell, STAT, 22 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'laudable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 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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