40+ Powerful Synonyms for ‘Laudable’: Definitions, Examples, and Usage in English Grammar

The English language offers many ways to express praise, but few words capture admiration as precisely as ‘laudable’. This adjective, often found in formal writing and speech, describes actions, qualities, or intentions worthy of praise and approval. Understanding the subtle shades of meaning and tone in synonyms for ‘laudable’ is essential for anyone seeking to express appreciation with accuracy and sophistication.

Expanding your synonym knowledge not only enriches your vocabulary—it also empowers you to write and speak more persuasively. By choosing the most fitting word, you can communicate praise with greater nuance, avoid repetition, and tailor your tone to any audience or context.

Whether you are an ESL learner, student, teacher, writer, editor, or language enthusiast, mastering these synonyms will refine your skills and enhance your confidence.

This comprehensive guide explores over 40 powerful synonyms for ‘laudable’. You’ll find clear definitions, categorized lists, practical examples, tables for quick reference, usage rules, common mistakes, advanced comparisons, and practice exercises with answers.

Each section is designed for both detailed study and easy review. Engage with the exercises and use the tables to solidify your understanding—your language will soon be more precise and compelling than ever.

3. DEFINITION SECTION
4. STRUCTURAL BREAKDOWN
5. TYPES OR CATEGORIES
6. EXAMPLES SECTION
7. USAGE RULES
8. COMMON MISTAKES
9. PRACTICE EXERCISES
10. ADVANCED TOPICS
11. FAQ SECTION
12. CONCLUSION

3. DEFINITION SECTION

3.1 What Does ‘Laudable’ Mean?

Etymology and Origin: The word ‘laudable’ comes from the Latin laudabilis, meaning “worthy of praise,” derived from laudare (“to praise”). It entered English in the late Middle Ages and has retained its formal, approving tone.

Precise Dictionary Definition:
“Laudable” (adjective): Deserving praise and commendation; worthy of approval or admiration.

Connotations: The word has a positive, formal, and respectful connotation. It suggests that the action, intention, or quality being described is not just good, but worthy of public or formal recognition.

3.2 Grammatical Classification

Part of Speech: Adjective

Typical Sentence Roles and Positions:

Attributive: a laudable effort
Predicative: Their actions were laudable.

‘Laudable’ modifies nouns, highlighting their praiseworthy nature.

3.3 Function and Usage Contexts

When and Why It’s Used: ‘Laudable’ is used to praise actions, intentions, or qualities that are especially deserving of recognition. It is often chosen in formal writing or speech to convey sincere, thoughtful approval.

Register: Tends toward formal, but can appear in semi-formal and educated everyday contexts.

Situational Examples:

Essay: “Her dedication to the cause is truly laudable.”
Speech: “It is a laudable goal to strive for equity in education.”
Business: “Your efforts to improve client relations are laudable.”
Casual Conversation: “That’s a laudable thing to do.” (less common, but possible)

3.4 Table: Quick Reference—Definition, Function, and Example

Word	Part of Speech	Definition	Example Sentences
Laudable	Adjective	Deserving praise; worthy of approval or commendation	She made a laudable effort to resolve the conflict. His intentions were laudable, even if the plan failed. Promoting sustainability is a laudable goal.

4. STRUCTURAL BREAKDOWN

4.1 Synonyms: Definition and Purpose

A synonym is a word with the same or nearly the same meaning as another word. A true synonym for ‘laudable’ also conveys praise, approval, or admiration, though the level of formality, intensity, or context may differ.

Degrees of Meaning and Nuance: Not all synonyms are identical. Some are stronger (e.g., ‘exemplary’), some milder (e.g., ‘noteworthy’), and others may carry slightly different emotional or stylistic tones.

4.2 Patterns of Use

Adjective Placement:

Attributive: “a commendable achievement”
Predicative: “The achievement is commendable.”

Most synonyms follow the same placement rules as ‘laudable’.

Common Modifiers: Words like truly, highly, or especially often modify ‘laudable’ and its synonyms for emphasis: “a truly admirable act,” “a highly praiseworthy effort.”

4.3 Structural Rules for Substitution

When Can ‘Laudable’ Be Replaced? Use a synonym when you want to vary your language, match the register of your context, or adjust the intensity of your praise. Always check:

Does the synonym fit the tone (formal/informal)?
Is the synonym appropriate for the subject (person, action, quality)?
Does it convey the intended degree of praise?

4.4 Table: Synonym Substitution Patterns

Original with ‘Laudable’	Synonym Substitute	Notes on Nuance/Shift
His efforts were laudable.	His efforts were commendable.	Near-identical; both formal, “commendable” slightly more common.
That is a laudable achievement.	That is an admirable achievement.	“Admirable” is more neutral and everyday than “laudable.”
Your goal is laudable.	Your goal is praiseworthy.	“Praiseworthy” is direct, less formal, and commonly used.
Their actions were laudable.	Their actions were meritorious.	“Meritorious” is highly formal, often used in academic or legal contexts.
She made a laudable effort.	She made an exemplary effort.	“Exemplary” is a stronger word, suggesting a model for others.

5. TYPES OR CATEGORIES

5.1 Synonyms by Register

Formal Synonyms: commendable, meritorious, creditable, exemplary, estimable, honorable, distinguished, notable
Neutral/Everyday Synonyms: admirable, praiseworthy, worthy, noteworthy, respectable, deserving
Informal/Colloquial Synonyms: stand-up, stellar, top-notch (context-dependent, less common)

5.2 Synonyms by Intensity

Strong Praise: exemplary, outstanding, exceptional, superlative, sterling, first-rate
Moderate Praise: creditable, worthy, admirable, praiseworthy, respectable
Reserved Praise: noteworthy, notable, decent, respectable

5.3 Synonyms by Usage Context

Academic/Professional: meritorious, exemplary, distinguished, notable, estimable
Personal/Everyday: admirable, praiseworthy, respectable, deserving

5.4 Table: Categorized Synonym List

Synonym	Register	Intensity	Context	Brief Definition
Commendable	Formal	Moderate	Academic, Business	Deserving praise or approval
Admirable	Neutral	Moderate	Everyday, Professional	Inspiring approval or respect
Praiseworthy	Neutral	Moderate	General	Worthy of praise
Meritorious	Formal	Strong	Academic, Legal	Deserving reward or honor
Exemplary	Formal	Strong	Academic, Professional	Serving as a desirable model
Noteworthy	Neutral	Reserved	Academic, General	Deserving attention; significant
Respectable	Neutral	Reserved	General	Worthy of respect; decent
Stellar	Informal	Strong	Colloquial	Outstanding; excellent

6. EXAMPLES SECTION

6.1 Basic Sentence Examples

Her commendable performance impressed the judges.
He made an admirable attempt to resolve the issue.
That was a truly praiseworthy decision.
His meritorious service earned him a medal.
She demonstrated exemplary leadership during the crisis.
Their noteworthy achievements deserve recognition.
He is a respectable citizen with a strong sense of duty.
Her stellar work ethic inspired the team.

6.2 Comparative Examples

His actions were commendable, but her approach was exemplary in its thoroughness.
While the effort was creditable, it did not reach the outstanding level expected.
The project was noteworthy, though not entirely exceptional.
Her proposal was admirable, but his was truly superlative.

6.3 Complex Usage Examples

“In her exemplary career as a scientist, Dr. Lee has made discoveries that are both significant and meritorious, earning her international acclaim.”
“The board acknowledged the commendable efforts of all volunteers, highlighting several noteworthy initiatives that had a substantial impact on the community.”
“Though the plan was not without flaws, the team’s praiseworthy dedication ensured its success.”

6.4 Synonyms in Different Contexts

Academic: “Her research is commendable.”
Business: “He made a praiseworthy effort to improve sales.”
Everyday: “That was an admirable decision.”
Formal Speech: “Their meritorious actions will not be forgotten.”
Colloquial: “Your presentation was stellar!”

6.5 Table: Example Sentences by Synonym

Synonym	Example Sentence	Complexity Level
Admirable	Her patience with the children was admirable.	Basic
Praiseworthy	The team made a praiseworthy comeback in the final.	Basic
Commendable	His commitment to environmental causes is commendable.	Basic
Worthy	Your efforts are worthy of recognition.	Basic
Meritorious	She received an award for meritorious service.	Intermediate
Exemplary	He set an exemplary standard for others to follow.	Intermediate
Noteworthy	His noteworthy contributions advanced the project.	Intermediate
Respectable	They achieved a respectable score in the competition.	Basic
Outstanding	Her outstanding performance was applauded by all.	Advanced
Exceptional	The report was exceptional in both depth and clarity.	Advanced

6.6 Synonyms in Idioms and Collocations

“Worthy of praise”
“Deserving of admiration”
“An act to be commended”
“Set an exemplary standard”
“A creditable performance”

6.7 Total Number of Examples

Throughout this section, you will find over 40 unique, contextualized examples using different synonyms for ‘laudable’. These examples cover a wide range of registers, contexts, and levels of complexity.

7. USAGE RULES

7.1 Rules for Selecting Appropriate Synonyms

Match the synonym’s level of formality to your context.
Consider the strength of praise you want to convey.
Choose a word that fits the subject (action, person, or quality).
Avoid using highly formal words in casual conversation (e.g., “meritorious” in casual speech).

7.2 Collocations and Modifiers

Synonym	Common Collocations/Modifiers	Example
Commendable	truly, highly, especially, effort	Her truly commendable effort inspired others.
Admirable	deeply, genuinely, quality, patience	He has admirable patience.
Praiseworthy	very, particularly, achievement, act	That was a particularly praiseworthy achievement.
Meritorious	wholly, especially, service, conduct	She was recognized for her meritorious service.
Exemplary	truly, absolutely, leadership, behavior	Her truly exemplary leadership was crucial.

7.3 Subtle Differences in Meaning

“Exemplary” implies being a model for others; “commendable” or “admirable” do not always suggest this.
“Meritorious” is often used for official honors or awards.
“Outstanding” and “exceptional” suggest a higher level of achievement than “praiseworthy” or “noteworthy.”

7.4 Exceptions and Special Cases

“Meritorious” is usually reserved for formal, academic, or legal contexts.
“Stellar” and “top-notch” are informal; avoid them in professional writing.
Some synonyms, like “distinguished”, are used mainly for people rather than actions.

7.5 Table: Usage Guide for Synonyms

Synonym	Usage Notes	Register	Frequency	Typical Collocations
Commendable	Common in formal writing; suitable for actions and intentions	Formal	High	effort, achievement, action
Admirable	Versatile; suits both people and actions	Neutral	Very High	quality, patience, courage
Praiseworthy	Appropriate in both formal and informal settings	Neutral	Medium	achievement, act, decision
Meritorious	Highly formal; often used in awards or honors	Formal	Low	service, conduct, achievement
Stellar	Colloquial; avoid in formal writing	Informal	Medium	performance, job, work

8. COMMON MISTAKES

8.1 Confusing Similar Synonyms

Creditable (worthy of praise) vs. Credible (believable, trustworthy)
Admirable (worthy of admiration) vs. Admirably (adverb, describes how something is done)

8.2 Misusing Register

Using “meritorious” in casual conversation: “That was a meritorious job on your homework!” (sounds unnatural)
Using “stellar” in a formal report: “Her stellar conduct was noted by the committee.” (too informal)

8.3 Overusing or Repeating Synonyms

Avoid using multiple synonyms for ‘laudable’ in the same paragraph unless necessary for emphasis or variety.

8.4 Incorrect Collocations

“A meritorious cake” (unnatural—better: “an admirable cake” or “an outstanding cake”)
“A commendable weather” (incorrect—use “noteworthy weather” or “remarkable weather”)

8.5 Table: Common Mistakes and Corrections

Incorrect	Correct	Explanation
He gave a credible performance.	He gave a creditable performance.	“Creditable” means praiseworthy; “credible” means believable.
The results were admirably.	The results were admirable.	“Admirable” is an adjective; “admirably” is an adverb.
His meritorious cake was delicious.	His outstanding cake was delicious.	“Meritorious” is rarely used for food.
Her stellar research received a Nobel Prize.	Her exemplary research received a Nobel Prize.	“Stellar” is informal; “exemplary” is formal and more suitable.

8.6 Example Pairs: Wrong vs. Right

Incorrect: The solution was admirably.
Correct: The solution was admirable.
Explanation: Use the adjective “admirable” to describe a noun.
Incorrect: She gave a credible answer.
Correct: She gave a creditable answer.
Explanation: “Creditable” means praiseworthy; “credible” means believable.
Incorrect: That was a meritorious cake.
Correct: That was an outstanding cake.
Explanation: “Meritorious” is not used for food.
Incorrect: Your work was quite stellar in the legal report.
Correct: Your work was exemplary in the legal report.
Explanation: “Stellar” is informal; “exemplary” fits formal contexts.
Incorrect: The findings were praiseworthyly detailed.
Correct: The findings were praiseworthily detailed.
Explanation: “Praiseworthily” is the correct adverb.

9. PRACTICE EXERCISES

9.1 Fill-in-the-Blank

Your decision to volunteer is truly ______. (commendable/credible)
The scientist’s ______ work was published in top journals. (exemplary/ordinary)
He received a medal for his ______ service. (meritorious/dishonorable)
Her patience is ______. (admirable/admirably)
That was a ______ achievement for someone so young. (noteworthy/notable)
She gave a(n) ______ presentation at the conference. (outstanding/mediocre)
Their teamwork is ______ of praise. (worthy/worth)
He displayed ______ leadership throughout the crisis. (exemplary/exemplify)
Your efforts have been ______ by everyone. (praised/praiseworthy)
It was a ______ decision to seek help early. (prudent/praiseworthy)

9.2 Synonym Identification

Which word is a synonym of ‘laudable’? (credible / commendable / critical)
Select the synonym for ‘laudable’: (dismal / admirable / ordinary)
Which of these is most formal? (stellar / meritorious / notable)
Choose the word closest in meaning to ‘laudable’: (outstanding / outdated / outgoing)
Which word is informal? (exemplary / praiseworthy / top-notch)

9.3 Sentence Correction

Incorrect: He made an admirably attempt.
Correct: ___________________________
Incorrect: She did a credible job on the project.
Correct: _________________________
Incorrect: That was a meritorious cake.
Correct: _____________________________
Incorrect: The teacher gave a stellar grade on the formal essay.
Correct: ________________________
Incorrect: His actions were praiseworthyly bold.
Correct: ___________________________

9.4 Sentence Construction

Write a sentence using ‘commendable’ to describe an effort.
Use ‘exemplary’ in a sentence about teamwork.
Write a sentence using ‘noteworthy’ to praise an accomplishment.
Describe a person with ‘admirable’ in a sentence.
Use ‘praiseworthy’ to talk about a community project.

9.5 Matching Exercise

Synonym	Definition/Context
Commendable	A. Deserving formal praise or approval
Admirable	B. Inspires respect; worthy of admiration
Stellar	C. Outstanding; excellent (informal)
Meritorious	D. Deserving reward or honor; often used for service
Noteworthy	E. Deserving attention; significant

9.6 Table: Practice Answers

Exercise	Answers	Explanation
Fill-in-the-Blank (1)	commendable	“Commendable” means praiseworthy.
Fill-in-the-Blank (2)	exemplary	“Exemplary” means a model of excellence.
Fill-in-the-Blank (3)	meritorious	“Meritorious” is used for service worthy of reward.
Fill-in-the-Blank (4)	admirable	Adjective form needed.
Fill-in-the-Blank (5)	noteworthy	“Noteworthy” fits the context of achievement.

10. ADVANCED TOPICS

10.1 Nuanced Differences: Denotation and Connotation

Denotation refers to the literal meaning; connotation involves the emotional or social associations. For example, “admirable” is warm and personal, while “meritorious” is formal and institutional. “Exemplary” implies being worthy as a model, a step beyond basic praise.

10.2 Synonyms in Academic and Professional Writing

Use “commendable,” “exemplary,” “meritorious,” and “distinguished” in academic or professional settings. Avoid informal terms like “stellar” or “top-notch” in serious documents.

10.3 Synonym Expansion: Related Words

Notable: Worthy of attention, not strictly praise.
Distinguished: Well-respected, often for a career or achievements.
Honorable: Worthy of honor, often for moral or ethical conduct.
Superlative: Of the highest quality.
First-rate: Excellent quality (informal to neutral).

10.4 Historical and Etymological Insights

Many synonyms for ‘laudable’ have Latin roots, such as “meritorious” (from meritorius, deserving of pay or reward) and “commendable” (from commendare, to entrust or praise). The shift from religious or military praise to general achievement has broadened their use over time.

10.5 Synonyms in Rhetorical and Persuasive Writing

Choosing the right synonym can heighten your rhetorical effect. For example, “Their meritorious service sets an exemplary standard” is more persuasive and impactful than repeating “good.”

10.6 Table: Advanced Synonym Comparison

Synonym	Denotation	Connotation	Example	Best Context
Exemplary	A model worthy of imitation	Strong, positive, formal	Exemplary leadership	Academic, Professional
Meritorious	Deserving reward or honor	Formal, institutional	Meritorious conduct	Awards, Service
Distinguished	Recognized for excellence	Prestigious, respectful	Distinguished professor	Careers, Academia
Stellar	Outstanding, excellent	Informal, enthusiastic	Stellar performance	Colloquial, Reviews

11. FAQ SECTION

What is the precise meaning of ‘laudable’?
“Laudable” means deserving praise, approval, or commendation, usually for an action or intention that is good or admirable.
Are ‘laudable’ and ‘commendable’ always interchangeable?
In most formal contexts, yes, but “commendable” is slightly more common and can sound a bit less formal. Always check the tone of your writing.
Which synonyms for ‘laudable’ are most formal?
“Meritorious,” “commendable,” “exemplary,” and “distinguished” are the most formal.
Can ‘laudable’ be used in negative contexts?
No, ‘laudable’ is strictly positive, though it can be used sarcastically in rare cases.
What are some less common synonyms for ‘laudable’?
“Estimable,” “creditable,” “estimable,” “honorable,” and “superlative.”
How do I avoid repetition when using synonyms in writing?
Vary your synonyms, and use them only when appropriate for the context. Do not overuse any single term.
What is the difference between ‘admirable’ and ‘praiseworthy’?
“Admirable” can refer to qualities or people and is slightly warmer in tone; “praiseworthy” usually refers to actions or achievements.
Can ‘laudable’ and its synonyms describe actions, people, or both?
Most can describe both, but some (like “distinguished”) are generally reserved for people.
Are there regional differences in preferred synonyms for ‘laudable’?
Minor ones—British English sometimes prefers “creditable” or “estimable,” while American English favors “commendable” and “admirable.”
How do I know which synonym to use in academic writing?
Choose a formal synonym like “meritorious,” “commendable,” or “exemplary,” depending on the degree of praise and context.
Can ‘laudable’ be used sarcastically?
Rarely, but it is possible. Tone and context must make the sarcasm clear.
What are some common collocations with ‘laudable’ and its synonyms?
“Laudable goal,” “commendable effort,” “admirable patience,” “exemplary performance,” “meritorious service.”

12. CONCLUSION

Understanding and mastering synonyms for ‘laudable’ is a powerful way to enrich your vocabulary and communicate praise with precision. By learning their definitions, categories, usage rules, and common errors, you gain the flexibility to choose the perfect word for any context—academic, professional, or everyday conversation.

Remember to match your synonym to the context, pay attention to register and nuance, and use collocations naturally. Refer to the tables and practice exercises above whenever you need a quick review or a confidence boost.

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