applaud

verb

ap·plaud ə-ˈplȯd

applauded; applauding; applauds

Synonyms of applaud next

intransitive verb

: to express approval especially by clapping the hands

The audience applauded at the end of the performance.

transitive verb

: to express approval of : praise

I applaud her efforts to lose weight.

: to show approval of especially by clapping the hands

Spectators applauded the team.

applaudable

ə-ˈplȯ-də-bəl

adjective

applaudably

ə-ˈplȯ-də-blē

adverb

applauder noun

Examples of applaud in a Sentence

Everyone applauded the graduates as they entered the auditorium. The audience stood and applauded her performance. We applaud the decision to lower taxes. I applaud their efforts to clean up the city, but they must do more. Rather than being criticized for her honesty, she should be applauded for it.

Recent Examples on the Web As news of the deal filtered through, many applauded. —

Anna Schecter, NBC News, 24 Nov. 2023 The project does not affect an area where pelota mixteca, a ball game indigenous to the Mexican state of Oaxaca is played — a fact applauded by one speaker. —

Lola Sherman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Nov. 2023 Your neighbors will applaud your family chorus—and remember, the more the merrier. —

Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2023 The students listen to him and applaud; they are used to men who speak in such ways with guns slung over their shoulders. —

Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2023 Iran has applauded the Hamas assault, which harnessed years of clandestine Iranian support with arms, cash, and weapons-building technology to inflict the gravest attack on the Jewish state since its founding in 1948. —

Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Nov. 2023 Some named the Qassam Brigades specifically, but none of them, in keeping with official al Qaeda policy, applauded Hamas. —

Cole Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2023 In one picture, the mom of four applauded Salma Hayek Pinault, who was honored with the Giving Tree award. —

Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 12 Nov. 2023 Others like Defenders of Wildlife applauded the progress being made toward the completion of the first phase of reintroduction by the end of the calendar year, as was originally ordered. —

Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 9 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'applaud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French aplaudir, from Latin applaudere, from ad- + plaudere to applaud

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler

The first known use of applaud was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Applaud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/applaud. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

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Kids Definition

applaud

verb

ap·plaud ə-ˈplȯd

: praise sense 1, approve

applaud their efforts

: to show approval especially by clapping the hands

applaudable

-ə-bəl

adjective

applauder noun

Etymology

from early French aplaudir "to applaud," from Latin applaudere (same meaning), from ap-, ad- "to, toward" and plaudere "to clap" — related to explode, plaudit, plausible see Word History at explode, plausible