commend

/kəˈmend/ (bre, ipa) · /kəˈmend/ (ame, ipa) · /kə-ˈmend/ (ame, mw)

commend — verb

  • commendpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • commendshe / she / it
  • commendedpast simple
  • commending-ing form

1. to publicly say that someone or something deserves admiration, usually in an off

1.動詞及物C1
釋義

to publicly say that someone or something deserves admiration, usually in an official setting such as a ceremony, written report, or speech

例句

The mayor commended Defne for rescuing two children from the burning apartment.

commend somebody for + -ing

Rafael was commended by the school principal for his honesty after he returned the lost wallet.

passive: be commended by [authority] for [action]

同義詞
  • praise

    neutral, all registers; the everyday word

  • applaud

    often public; expresses strong approval of an action

  • laud

    very formal, mostly written; literary feel

  • honour

    stronger; usually involves a formal award or title

反義詞
  • criticise

    to formally point out faults

  • censure

    formal disapproval, often by an official body

文法句型

commend somebody for something

commend somebody on something

be commended for + -ing

用法筆記

Frequently passive: 'be commended by [authority] for [achievement]'. The subject doing the commending is usually an institution, official, or public figure rather than a friend or family member — in private settings, 'praise' is more natural.

常見錯誤

❌My mother commended me for cleaning my room.
✅My mother praised me for cleaning my room.
💡'commend' belongs to formal or public settings, not everyday family talk.

2. to suggest to someone that a thing, plan, or person is good enough to deserve th

2.動詞及物C2
釋義

to suggest to someone that a thing, plan, or person is good enough to deserve their attention, support, or trust

例句

Professor Vivek commended the new history textbook to all his first-year students.

commend something to somebody

The committee chair commended the proposal to the council as both fair and affordable.

commend something to somebody as [quality]

同義詞
  • recommend

    by far the most common everyday word

  • endorse

    public, often institutional, support

  • advocate

    argue actively in favour of

反義詞

文法句型

commend something to somebody

something commends itself to somebody

用法筆記

Often reflexive ('commend itself to'): the subject is a thing whose qualities make it attractive to an audience. Distinguish from sense 1 — here, the speaker is steering the listener toward a choice, not awarding praise after a deed.

常見錯誤

❌I commend you this restaurant.
✅I commend this restaurant to you.
💡the thing being recommended is the object; the audience is introduced with 'to'.

3. to place a person, a soul, or something precious in someone else's care or prote

3.動詞及物C2
釋義

to place a person, a soul, or something precious in someone else's care or protection — often used at funerals, in prayers, or in solemn farewells

例句

At the graveside, the priest quietly commended Trang's grandmother to God's keeping.

commend somebody to God's keeping (funeral register)

Before leaving the country, Kenji commended his elderly father to the care of a trusted neighbour.

commend somebody to the care of somebody

同義詞
  • entrust

    neutral, modern equivalent

  • consign

    formal; often suggests finality

文法句型

commend somebody/something to somebody/God

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 2: here the object is a person (or their soul, or a treasured possession) and the goal is protection or care, not recommendation. Common in religious texts, funeral services, and old literary letters; modern speakers usually say 'leave [somebody] in [somebody's] care' instead.

常見錯誤

❌I commend my keys to you while I'm away.
✅I'm leaving my keys with you while I'm away.
💡this sense of 'commend' is mostly literary or religious now; using it for everyday handovers sounds odd.