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. Take care, however, to consider the differences between the pair: laudable means "deserving praise" or "praiseworthy"; it is typically used to describe things people try to do or achieve ("a laudable goal/aim") or the work they expend to do so ("laudable efforts"). Meanwhile, laudatory means "giving praise" or "expressing praise"; it is almost always used to describe a favorable response to something, as in "laudatory remarks," and "laudatory media coverage."
Cite this Entry
“Laudable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laudable. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.
Copy Citation
