noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/kəˈmɛnd/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛnd
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 M EH1 N D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Commendation; praise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: in-plural, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: salutation
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To congratulate or reward.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The schoolboy was commended for raising the alarm about the burning building.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: felicitate, take one's hat off to
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To praise or acclaim.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The new law has little to commend it: it even worsens the legal certainty of the nation.
1485 – Thomas Malory. Le Morte Darthur, Book X, Chapter xliiij, leaf 242v Thenne Quene Gueneuer commended hym and soo dyd alle other good knyghtes made moche of hym excepte sire Gawayns bretheren / "Then Queen Guenever commended him, and so did all other good knights make much of him, except Sir Gawaine’s brethren."
present as worthy of regard, kindness, or confidence
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
His paintings commend him to the artistic world
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: portray, present
History
Etymology
From Middle English commenden, from Old French comender, from Latin commendō (“commend, entrust to, commit, recommend”), from com- + mandō (“to commit, intrust, enjoin”), from manus (“hand”) + dō (“to put”). Doublet of command.
Across languages
Translations
79 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
поздравявам
(pozdravjavam)
— to congratulate or reward
Esperanto:
gratuli
— to congratulate or reward
Finnish:
onnitella
— to congratulate or reward
French:
féliciter
— to congratulate or reward
Galician:
felicitar
— to congratulate or reward
Galician:
congratular
— to congratulate or reward
German:
belobigen
— to congratulate or reward
German:
beglückwünschen
— to congratulate or reward
Hindi:
सराहना करना
(sarāhnā karnā)
— to congratulate or reward
Italian:
encomiare
— to congratulate or reward
Persian:
تقدیر کردن
(taqdir kardan)
— to congratulate or reward
Portuguese:
parabenizar
— to congratulate or reward
Portuguese:
recompensar
— to congratulate or reward
Romanian:
felicita
— to congratulate or reward
Russian:
поздравлять
(pozdravljatʹ)
— to congratulate or reward
