To express admiration or approval of someone or something; to express worship or thanks to God; words showing admiration or approval; the expression of worship to God.
The young teacher had been nervous all semester about her classroom performance. Then the principal visited her class and praised her creative teaching methods in front of the whole staff. Her confidence grew overnight. By the end of the year, other teachers were asking for her advice.
This meaning is about saying good things about someone or something because you genuinely admire them. Imagine a child coming home with a perfect score on a difficult test, and both parents praising her for all the hard work she put in. This is expressing approval openly and warmly. You might say “the manager praised the team for meeting the deadline” or “critics praised the film for its original storyline.” Or think about a coach who praises a player in front of the whole squad after a great performance. The word carries a feeling of recognition and encouragement. ✏️ “Praise someone for something” is the most common structure — it always connects the person with the specific thing they did well.
Vivid example: The firefighters worked through the night to save the building. The next morning, the mayor publicly praised them for their bravery and dedication. The whole community gathered to applaud as each team member received a certificate.
This meaning is about showing love, respect, and gratitude to God. Imagine a family sitting around the dinner table, and before eating, the grandmother says “let us praise God for this food and for keeping us together.” This is expressing thanks and devotion to a higher power. You might hear “Praise the Lord!” as an expression of joy or relief, or “we gather every Sunday to praise God through song.” Or picture a church service where hundreds of people are praising God with music and prayer. The word here carries deep spiritual gratitude and reverence. ✏️ “Praise the Lord” and “Praise God” are also used in everyday speech — not always religiously, but as expressions of relief or happiness, like “Praise God, you’re safe!”
Vivid example: The family had been waiting anxiously at the hospital for hours. When the doctor finally came out and said the surgery was successful, the mother whispered “thank you” and began to praise God with tears running down her face. Everyone in the waiting room felt the wave of relief.
This meaning is about the actual words or expressions of approval themselves. Imagine finishing a big project at work and your boss sends an email full of praise for the quality of your work, copying the entire team. This is the recognition itself — the good things people say about you. You might hear “she received high praise from the critics” or “I have nothing but praise for the way they handled the situation.” Or think about a student whose teacher is full of praise for the progress they’ve made this year. The word suggests positive recognition that makes you feel valued. ✏️ “Sing someone’s praises” means to praise them very enthusiastically — “she’s always singing your praises” means someone talks about you in a very positive way.
Vivid example: The restaurant had only been open for three months. But word spread fast, and soon it was getting praise from food bloggers across the city. The chef couldn’t believe it when a famous reviewer described the place as a hidden gem.
This meaning is about worship directed at God through words, songs, or ceremonies. Imagine walking past a church on a Sunday morning and hearing beautiful voices raised in praise, the sound of hymns filling the street through the open doors. This is the devotion and gratitude offered to God. You might hear “the choir led the congregation in songs of praise” or “the ceremony was filled with praise and thanksgiving.” Or think about a religious festival where thousands of people come together in praise, singing and praying late into the night. The word describes spiritual expression and devotion. ✏️ “Hymns of praise” and “songs of praise” are the most common combinations — you’ll hear these in any religious context, especially in Christianity.
Vivid example: The small village church was packed on Christmas Eve. The congregation lifted their voices in praise as candles flickered in every window. Outside, you could hear the singing echoing softly across the snowy fields.
Examples from the street:
“The teacher was full of praise for how hard the students had worked.” → The instructor spoke very positively about the effort the learners had put in
“I have to praise the staff — they handled the situation brilliantly.” → I need to give credit to the employees — they managed everything perfectly
“He never praises anyone, so when he said ‘well done,’ I knew it really meant something.” → He never says anything positive about people, so his rare compliment felt genuinely significant
Praise as a verb — expressing approval — VERY COMMON:
– praise someone for (something/doing something) → express approval of someone because of what they did
– praise someone’s work/effort/attitude → speak positively about a specific quality or achievement
– highly/widely praised → received very positive feedback from many people
– praised by critics/experts/colleagues → received positive judgement from knowledgeable people
– can’t praise someone/something enough → feel that no amount of positive words is sufficient
– be quick to praise → readily and willingly say positive things about others
Praise as a noun — positive words or recognition — VERY COMMON:
– full of praise (for) → having only positive things to say about someone or something
– win/earn/receive praise → get positive recognition from others
– high/lavish praise → extremely positive and generous compliments
– faint praise → approval so weak it feels like criticism
– words of praise → spoken compliments or positive comments
– praise and criticism → both positive and negative feedback together
– deserve/be worthy of praise → have done something that merits positive recognition
Praise in a religious context:
– praise God/the Lord → express worship and gratitude to God
– sing someone’s praises → speak very enthusiastically and positively about someone (also used outside religion)
– in praise of → in honour or celebration of something
Example Sentences
1. The manager praised the team for finishing the project two weeks ahead of schedule
→ The boss spoke very positively about the group because they completed the work a fortnight earlier than planned.
2. I can’t praise this restaurant enough — the food, the service, everything was perfect
→ I don’t have sufficient positive words for this eating establishment — the meals, the staff, every single detail was flawless.
3. The film was highly praised by critics but didn’t do well at the box office
→ The movie received extremely positive reviews from professional reviewers but didn’t attract large audiences in cinemas.
4. She’s always quick to praise her colleagues when they do a good job
→ She’s always ready to say something positive about the people she works with whenever they perform well.
5. He was full of praise for the volunteers who had given up their weekends to help
→ He had nothing but positive things to say about the unpaid helpers who had sacrificed their days off to contribute.
6. The novel won praise from readers and literary critics alike
→ The book received positive recognition from both ordinary people and professional reviewers.
7. Describing it as “acceptable” feels like faint praise — I expected a stronger reaction
→ Calling it merely “good enough” feels like a very weak compliment — I thought the response would be far more enthusiastic.
8. She praised his effort even though the final result wasn’t perfect
→ She spoke positively about how hard he tried despite the fact that the outcome still had some problems.
9. The charity deserves praise for everything it’s done for homeless families in the area
→ The non-profit organisation merits positive recognition for all the work it’s carried out supporting families without a home in the neighbourhood.
10. Everyone keeps singing her praises, so she must be doing something right
→ Everybody continues to talk about her in an extremely positive way, so she’s clearly performing well.
Learner Examples
1. Students who receive praise for their effort — not just their results — tend to develop more confidence and resilience in the classroom
→ Learners who get positive recognition for how hard they try — rather than only their grades — usually build greater self-belief and the ability to keep going when things get difficult.
2. I try to praise at least one specific thing each student does well in every lesson, because a small compliment can completely change their attitude to learning
→ I make an effort to say something positive about one particular thing each learner does successfully in every class, because even a brief word of encouragement can totally transform how they feel about studying.
✔ Native usage tips
– Praise is uncountable as a noun — you say “a lot of praise” or “some praise,” never “a praise” or “praises” (except in the religious expression “sing praises”). This is a common mistake for learners — remember: “she received praise,” not “she received a praise”
– Faint praise is always negative — if someone gives you “faint praise,” it’s actually worse than silence. Saying “the food was fine” when everyone expects enthusiasm is faint praise. The full idiom “damn with faint praise” makes the negativity even clearer
– British people often understate praise — in British culture, “not bad” can actually mean “very good,” and “that’s quite good” might mean “that’s excellent.” This understated style means British praise often sounds weaker than it is — context and tone matter enormously
– Praise vs compliment — a compliment is a specific nice thing you say directly to someone: “nice dress” or “you look great.” Praise is broader — it can be public, formal, or about someone’s work and character. You compliment someone’s appearance; you praise their performance
– Over-praising can sound insincere — in English-speaking cultures, too much praise can feel suspicious. If someone keeps saying “that’s amazing, incredible, fantastic,” people start doubting the honesty. Measured, specific praise is more effective than constant superlatives
– Sing someone’s praises is extremely common — this is one of the most natural idioms in English. “My boss has been singing your praises” means your boss has been telling everyone how good you are. It always implies speaking to third parties, not to the person directly
✔ Similar expressions / words
– Commend → more formal than praise; often used in official or professional contexts; “I’d like to commend the team” sounds more like something said in a boardroom or ceremony than in everyday conversation
– Applaud → can mean both physically clapping and figuratively expressing strong approval; “I applaud your honesty” is more dramatic and emphatic than “I praise your honesty” and carries a sense of public recognition
– Acknowledge → more neutral and restrained than praise; focuses on recognising that something happened rather than expressing enthusiastic approval; “she acknowledged his contribution” is factual, while “she praised his contribution” is warmly positive