Meaning & use
laudable
Last updated
UK/ˈlɔːdəbl/
US/ˈlɔːdəbl/
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Worthy of praise because of the effort, aim or quality behind it.
Grammar: Often describes goals or efforts: a laudable aim.
Patterns
- a laudable effort
- laudable goal
Cutting waste in the school canteen is a laudable goal.
His attempt to learn the language was laudable, even if the grammar was shaky.
The charity's laudable work has helped hundreds of families.
Word forms
| comparative | more laudable |
|---|---|
| superlative | most laudable |
Common combinations
- laudable aim
- Reducing waste is a laudable aim.
- laudable effort
- It was a laudable effort despite the defeat.
- laudable goal
- Their goal of helping every child read is laudable.
- laudable intention
- Her intention was laudable, though the plan failed.
- highly laudable
- Such honesty is highly laudable.
Synonyms and how they differ
- commendable
- Commendable is almost interchangeable but a little more common and warm in everyday speech.
- praiseworthy
- Praiseworthy is plainer and states the meaning directly.
- admirable
- Admirable focuses on respect for a person's character, not just a deed.
- worthy
- Worthy is weaker and may sound faintly patronizing.
Opposites
blameworthyshameful
Word family
Commonly confused: laudable or laudatory?
laudable vs laudatory
Laudatory means expressing praise (a laudatory review), whereas laudable means deserving praise.
Practice
Which describes a laudable attempt?
Choose one answer.
Laudable means deserving praise, even when the result is disappointing.
Make it your own
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