praises; praised; praising
1
: to say or write good things about (someone or something) : to express approval of (someone or something)
Critics praised her as both an actor and director.
He praised her cooking.
A good teacher praises students when they do well.
His poems praise nature.
2
: to express thanks to or love and respect for (God)
We praise God for your safe arrival.
Praise Allah that you are safe! [=I thank Allah that you are safe]
People gather in churches to praise the Lord.
plural praises
1
: spoken or written words about the good qualities of someone or something : an expression of approval for someone or something
He deserves praise for the way he's handled this crisis.
He won critical praise [=acclaim] for his performance.
"Good job" is high praise coming from her. She rarely compliments anyone's work.
I have nothing but praise for the hospital staff.
The poem is in praise of nature. [=the poem praises nature]
The critics heaped praises on her performance. = The critics sang the praises of her performance. = The critics sang her praises. [=the critics praised her performance in a very enthusiastic way]
2
: an expression of thanks to or love and respect for God
People gathered in the church to sing praises to the Lord.
hymns/songs of praise
You made it here safely. Praise be to God! [=thank God]
We were not, praise be [=thankfully], required to join hands and sing songs.
Cite this Entry
“Praise.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/praise. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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