commend
Americanverb (used with object)
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commends,
present (3rd person singular)
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commended,
past participle, past
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commending
present participle
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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:
While controversy surrounds the embarrassingly blurry line between college football and the National Football League, our culture needs to take a moment to commend and steward the glorious tradition of high-school football.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
"Everything has been free and I want to commend the Kano government for this scheme because without it, many couldn't have afforded to marry due to the high cost of living."
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
We commend Mary Marslender for her dedicated advocacy on behalf of patients with disabilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
"So, I really commend the victims in this case for their courage and their fortitude," she told Evening Extra.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
Miss Palma did commend me on my “rhetorical flair,” though.
From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
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
Zoe Delahunty-Light, a video producer at website Eurogamer, commends The Sims for making "great strides" with diversity and working with creators to build authentic representation into the game.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2025
Peters's edition, generally considered the best edition of Chopin's works, has the second version, which commends itself by its greater naturalness.
From Piano Playing: With Piano Questions Answered by Josef Hofmann
Vince Miller, an attorney representing Garrido, commended the Sheriff’s Department for doing “the right thing” in this case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Von der Leyen commended Sanchez on the "swift handling" of the crisis that saw tens of thousands of people stream into Ceuta from Morocco -- almost all of whom have since left.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
He commended his officials for undertaking work "in the face of significant physical and mental challenge".
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Asked on the BBC's Politics Live programme in April whether he thought the campaign was a good idea, fellow Labour MP Tom Hayes said he commended his colleague for taking it forward.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Indeed he was commended three times and then decorated for bravery.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
During Sharaa's last visit in January, Putin said "much has been accomplished in terms of restoring our interstate relations", commending Sharaa for his "efforts to restore Syria's territorial integrity".
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
He has tried to walk a tightrope, commending citizens for exercising their right to protest but urging them not to “take the bait” by crossing into violence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026
Organizations like the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston have also sent out emails to their membership commending the commission.
From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2025
The Chinese internet paid keen attention to the report, with some commending what they see as transparent disclosure and others asking for perpetrators in this case to be held accountable.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 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.
