applaud

verb

ə-ˈplȯd How to pronounce applaud (audio)
Definition of applaudnext
as in to praise
to declare enthusiastic approval of I applaud your decision to take that advanced course

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of applaud The central midfielder appeared to sarcastically applaud supporters, before repeating the actions of pointing to the sky and then making an eye-pointing gesture towards the section of the stand, off camera, from where the chant appears to emanate. — Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 He also was applauded by many people for his actions on the sideline. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 16 Sep. 2026 In July, the Whiteman Airport Coalition applauded Moreno for her important coverage of a brush fire. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026 The group People Not Politicians Missouri, which sponsored the redistricting referendum, applauded the Supreme Court decisions that left the state court ruling in place. — David A. Lieb, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for applaud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for applaud
  1. praise
  2. hail
  3. commend
  4. salute
Verb
  • Jonathan Cohen, who leads gambling policy at the American Institute for Boys and Men, praised these moves but said their impact may be limited, pointing to data from state regulators showing that few gamblers utilize similar tools on sportsbooks.
    — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also praised the passengers who stepped up and noted in his statement that investigation is still ongoing.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of praise
Verb
  • Now, Scott is back on the big screen with what many are hailing — like our own Anne Thompson and the good people of the TIFF audience — as his next big contending role.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The brothers have close to four hundred and fifty thousand followers across Instagram and TikTok, hailing largely from a young demographic that’s often wary of wine and its stuffy traditions.
    — Arthur Holland Michel, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of hail
Verb
  • Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) chimed in on the conversation, commending Doe for coming forward.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Several Israeli officials commended the bravery of those on board the plane.
    — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of commend
Verb
  • Roberts saluted Díaz for working hard to get back to an uncertain assignment.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Opened in 2019, The Hotel Zags Portland’s mod decor salutes its midcentury origins (its building dates back to 1962) while still feeling current.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of salute

Browse Nearby Words

appetizingly
applaud
applaudable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Applaud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/applaud. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of heterodox

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All