Laudable

Definition

Deserving praise or admiration; commendable in purpose or execution, even if imperfect in outcome.

Beyond the definition

Laudable is a word of measured approval — not gushing, but genuine. It's what you say when something deserves recognition without requiring fanfare. The laudable effort, the laudable intention. It's the word that acknowledges good work while leaving room for it to be even better.

Origin & history

From Latin laudabilis ('praiseworthy'), from laudare ('to praise'), from laus ('praise'). Related to 'laud' — to sing the praises of.

Example sentences

Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.

Her commitment to the project was laudable, even when the odds were against her.

The initiative is laudable in its aims, if still modest in its reach.

How to use it

This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.

Choose “Laudable” when the meaning fits your context: Deserving praise or admiration; commendable in purpose or execution, even if imperfect in outcome.

Synonyms

praiseworthy, commendable, admirable, meritorious, worthy

Antonyms

blameworthy, deplorable, reprehensible, shameful

Related words

• commendable
• admirable
• meritorious
• exemplary

Laudable vs commendable

Commendable means worthy of praise — a direct, warm endorsement. Laudable is slightly more formal and measured: it acknowledges that something deserves recognition without necessarily generating excitement. A laudable effort is admirable even if modest; a commendable performance gets warm approval. Both approve, but commendable feels more like a compliment and laudable more like a considered judgment. Laudable is for precise assessment; commendable is for warmth.

Word in the Wild

See how this word appears in life, language and stories.

Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.

Fictional scene

Restoring beauty to broken objects

A ceramic artist carefully repairs a broken bowl with gold seams, holding fragments together in a process of patient, restorative work.

The effort to restore a broken object through such precise and beautiful methods is highly commendable. It illustrates a laudable purpose: finding value and grace in imperfection, and dedication in the act of careful, restorative execution.

Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration

Questions about this word

What does "Laudable" mean?

Laudable is adjective meaning: Deserving praise and commendation.. Deserving praise or admiration; commendable in purpose or execution, even if imperfect in outcome.

Where does the word "Laudable" come from?

From Latin laudabilis ('praiseworthy'), from laudare ('to praise'), from laus ('praise'). Related to 'laud' — to sing the praises of.