Word: commendable

Associations

"Commendable" means deserving praise or approval. It often describes actions, efforts, or qualities that are impressive or worthy of recognition.

• The teacher praised the student's commendable effort on the project. (Here, the student's hard work is acknowledged as worthy of praise.)
• Volunteering to help the community is a commendable act. (Helping others is seen as a good and praise-worthy action.)
• Her commendable dedication to her studies earned her a scholarship. (The dedication shown is recognized positively.)

A well-known synonym is "admirable." The important difference is that "commendable" often refers to actions or efforts that can be formally recognized, while "admirable" is broader and can refer to qualities or characteristics regardless of recognition.

Substitution

You can replace "commendable" with other words like:

• "praiseworthy" (focuses more on deserving praise)
• "laudable" (suggests that it’s worthy of applause)
• "noteworthy" (suggests it deserves attention)

Each of these options can slightly change the meaning, focusing on the degree of recognition or the nature of the action.

Deconstruction

The word "commendable" comes from the root "commend," which means to praise or express approval.

• Prefix: "com-" means together or with.
• Root: "mend" comes from Latin "mandare," meaning to entrust or order.
• Suffix: "-able" means capable of being.

Historically, this term evolved from Latin roots, where to "commend" was to put in someone’s charge, and thus expressing confidence in that person’s actions.

Inquiry

What actions or qualities do you think are commendable in people you admire? Can you think of a situation where someone's behavior was commendable? How would you feel if someone praised your commendable efforts?