Word: praise

Associations

Praise means to express admiration or approval for someone or something. It’s often used when someone does something well.

• Example 1: "The teacher gave her praise for completing the project." In this case, the student did well, and the teacher expressed approval.
• Example 2: "He received praise from his peers for his performance." Here, 'praise' indicates that he was recognized positively by his colleagues.
• Example 3: "You should praise your friend for their hard work." This suggests the importance of acknowledging someone's effort.

A well-known synonym for ‘praise’ is ‘compliment’. The main difference is that ‘compliment’ can be more general and may refer to kind words about someone’s appearance or other attributes, while ‘praise’ tends to focus more on approval for actions or achievements.

Substitution

Some other words that could be used instead of ‘praise’ include:

• Commend: This might feel more formal. For example, "The manager commended the team for their success" has a similar meaning but sounds more official.
• Applaud: This focuses more on enthusiastic approval, like "The audience applauded the speaker." It implies a louder, more collective response.
• Laud: This is a more literary or formal term. For example, "The critics lauded the author’s new book" suggests a strong endorsement.

Deconstruction

The word 'praise' comes from the Latin word 'pretiāre', meaning "to value" or "to estimate". There’s no prefix or suffix in the word ‘praise’, making it a standalone term. The root reflects the idea of valuing someone's actions or achievements.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you were praised? How did it make you feel?
• In what situations do you think it is important to praise someone?
• Do you think giving praise often can encourage people? Why or why not?