recommend
verb
rec·om·mend
ˌre-kə-ˈmend 
recommended; recommending; recommends
1
2
: to suggest (an act or course of action) as advisable
I recommend that you avoid the downtown during rush hour.
We highly/strongly recommend that you update your operating system.
Follow-up treatment is recommended.
3
: to make (someone or something) acceptable or attractive
a location with many features to recommend it
—often used in phrases like have little to recommend it and have much to recommend it… the village had little to recommend it other than the panoramic view …—
Paul L. Hall
Paul L. Hall… this style of travel has much to recommend it.—Doug and Bobbe Tatreau
Doug and Bobbe Tatreau"They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are all silly and ignorant … ."—Jane Austen
Jane AustenThis approach has a lot to recommend it, but it has some downsides too.—Herminia Ibarra and Anne Scoular
Herminia Ibarra and Anne ScoularUsed with discretion, the technique has something to recommend it …—Edward J. Foster
Edward J. FosterHe was not well educated; he had nothing to recommend him but his youth and his love for her.—Charles W. Chestnutt
Charles W. Chestnutt… dancing is a terrific form of exercise that has everything to recommend it …—Andrew Weil
Andrew Weil
recommender
noun
see also recommended entry 2
Synonyms
Examples of recommend in a Sentence
There is much besides fishing to recommend a trip to this sleepy fishing village …
—Peter Kaminsky, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2002
… you feel as if you've left the world behind, down below, and that the only way to rejoin it is to let go and plummet straight down. Erice is not the first place I'd recommend to the acrophobic.
—Francine Prose, Atlantic, December 2002
Many of the jobs, and especially those that paid well, had been parcelled out to candidates—mostly white males—whose applications signified that they had been recommended by well-placed political figures.
—Andy Logan, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 1989
If he'd bailed out with the rest of his crew—or been evacuated from the area at once as his regimental surgeon had recommended—perhaps he would have recovered fully …
—Tom Clancy, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, 1988
A friend recommended this restaurant.
I can't decide between the lasagna and the salmon. Which do you recommend?
They recommended her for a promotion after only two years.
The film is recommended to anyone who liked her earlier movies.
It is strongly recommended that you change the oil in your car every 5,000 miles.
Take only the recommended dose of cough syrup.
You may decide to pursue the matter in court, but I wouldn't recommend it.
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Peter Kaminsky, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2002
… you feel as if you've left the world behind, down below, and that the only way to rejoin it is to let go and plummet straight down. Erice is not the first place I'd recommend to the acrophobic.
—Francine Prose, Atlantic, December 2002
Many of the jobs, and especially those that paid well, had been parcelled out to candidates—mostly white males—whose applications signified that they had been recommended by well-placed political figures.
—Andy Logan, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 1989
If he'd bailed out with the rest of his crew—or been evacuated from the area at once as his regimental surgeon had recommended—perhaps he would have recovered fully …
—Tom Clancy, The Cardinal of the Kremlin, 1988
A friend recommended this restaurant.
I can't decide between the lasagna and the salmon. Which do you recommend?
They recommended her for a promotion after only two years.
The film is recommended to anyone who liked her earlier movies.
It is strongly recommended that you change the oil in your car every 5,000 miles.
Take only the recommended dose of cough syrup.
You may decide to pursue the matter in court, but I wouldn't recommend it.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
And Amazon announced a new conversational mode for Alexa, but the device repeatedly messed up in a demo for The Washington Post, including recommending a museum in the wrong part of the country.
—Gerrit De Vynck The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2023
The stager may walk homeowners through the property, recommending upgrades, repairs, cleaning and style boosts to make the house more inviting.
—Wendy A. Jordan, Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2023
Tang recommends coming in with your hair air-dried so stylists can properly assess your natural texture.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 22 Sep. 2023
This week, our New Music Latin roundup — a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — is powered by new music from Manuel Medrano, Juan Luis Guerra, Ricky Martin and Yandel, to name a few.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2023
An advisory committee to the agency voted 11-1 to recommend the injection.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 22 Sep. 2023
The panel recommended that pregnant people take one dose of the vaccine between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 22 Sep. 2023
For those in immediate need, Phoenix recommends: Police and fire will continue to respond to those in need of help.
—Kye Graves, The Arizona Republic, 2 Sep. 2023
While this is recommended for ages 18 and up, build it with your older kid and give it to your partner or their teacher as a thoughtful holiday gift.
—Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 2 Sep. 2023
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Gerrit De Vynck The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2023
The stager may walk homeowners through the property, recommending upgrades, repairs, cleaning and style boosts to make the house more inviting.
—Wendy A. Jordan, Washington Post, 23 Sep. 2023
Tang recommends coming in with your hair air-dried so stylists can properly assess your natural texture.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 22 Sep. 2023
This week, our New Music Latin roundup — a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — is powered by new music from Manuel Medrano, Juan Luis Guerra, Ricky Martin and Yandel, to name a few.
—Griselda Flores, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2023
An advisory committee to the agency voted 11-1 to recommend the injection.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 22 Sep. 2023
The panel recommended that pregnant people take one dose of the vaccine between weeks 32 and 36 of pregnancy.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 22 Sep. 2023
For those in immediate need, Phoenix recommends: Police and fire will continue to respond to those in need of help.
—Kye Graves, The Arizona Republic, 2 Sep. 2023
While this is recommended for ages 18 and up, build it with your older kid and give it to your partner or their teacher as a thoughtful holiday gift.
—Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 2 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recommend.' 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 Anglo-French recommender, from Medieval Latin recommendare, from Latin re- + commendare to commend
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of recommend was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing recommend
Dictionary Entries Near recommend
Cite this Entry
“Recommend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recommend. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
recommend
verb
rec·om·mend
ˌrek-ə-ˈmend
1
: to make a statement in praise of
recommend a person for a promotion
2
: to cause to receive favorable attention
children recommended by their good manners
3
: to put forward or suggest as one's advice, as one's choice, or as having one's support
recommender
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on recommend
Nglish: Translation of recommend for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of recommend for Arabic Speakers
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