Synonyms of laudable
: worthy of praise : commendable
She has shown a laudable devotion to her children.

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."

Examples of laudable in a Sentence

Improving the schools is a laudable goal. you showed laudable restraint in dealing with that ridiculously demanding customer
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Its goals may be laudable, but its approach is counterproductive. Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 4 June 2026 Half of the opinion piece praises the efforts and contributions of Uncle Lou, all of which are certainly laudable. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 June 2026 The ambition is laudable and has characterized this institution from the beginning. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026 Not every public company has the will or resources to do what Exxon did, and companies breaking the proxy firms’ grip one at a time, however laudable, will only get the market so far. James H. Lee, Fortune, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for laudable

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laudable was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Laudable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laudable. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on laudable

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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