eulogy

IPA/ˈjuːlədʒi/
KK[jˈulədʒi]IPA/ˈjuːlədʒi/

eulogy — noun

  • eulogysingular
  • eulogiesplural

1. a spoken or written tribute honoring a person who has just died, typically prese

1.nounB2
Definition

a spoken or written tribute honoring a person who has just died, typically presented at a funeral or memorial service

Example

At the funeral, Maeve gave a heartfelt eulogy that made everyone remember her grandmother's kindness.

give a eulogy + at [event]

The priest asked the family if anyone wanted to deliver a eulogy for their father.

Common collocations
  • deliver a eulogy
  • give a eulogy
  • write a eulogy
  • moving eulogy
  • heartfelt eulogy
  • eulogy for
  • eulogy at the funeral
Synonyms
  • tribute

    Tribute is broader — it can be for living or dead people and can take many forms (speech, gift, event), while eulogy refers specifically to words of praise at a funeral.

  • panegyric

    Panegyric is a very formal and often lengthy public speech of praise; it is much rarer and more literary than eulogy.

  • oration

    Oration is a formal public speech on any serious topic; it is not limited to praise or funerals.

Antonyms
  • criticism

    Criticism expresses disapproval or negative judgment, the opposite of praising someone.

  • lament

    Lament focuses on grief and sorrow rather than praise, though both relate to death.

Grammar Patterns

eulogy + for + person

deliver/give a eulogy

Usage Note

A eulogy is typically spoken aloud at a funeral or memorial service, often by a family member, close friend, or religious leader. It is distinct from an obituary (a printed notice of death) and an elegy (a poem of mourning). Frequently used with the verbs deliver, give, read, or write.

Common Mistakes

I read a beautiful elegy at my grandfather's funeral.
I read a beautiful eulogy at my grandfather's funeral.
An elegy is a poem or song expressing sorrow, not a speech of praise.
Her eulogy in the newspaper listed her surviving relatives.
Her obituary in the newspaper listed her surviving relatives.
An obituary is a published death notice; a eulogy is spoken or written praise.
She eulogied her father.
She gave a eulogy for her father.
Eulogy is a noun; the verb form is eulogize, not 'eulogy'.

2. a formal spoken or written expression of high praise for someone or something, n

2.nounC1
Definition

a formal spoken or written expression of high praise for someone or something, not necessarily connected with death

Example

The critic's eulogy for the novel described it as a masterpiece of modern literature.

eulogy + for + [thing] — non-death sense

At the retirement party, Zola offered a warm eulogy to her colleague's thirty years of service.

Common collocations
  • glowing eulogy
  • warm eulogy
  • eulogy to
  • eulogy for
  • offer a eulogy
  • publish a eulogy
Synonyms
  • tribute

    Tribute is more common and less formal; it works in everyday contexts where eulogy might seem too grand or old-fashioned.

  • accolade

    Accolade refers to an award, honor, or special mark of recognition, not a verbal expression of praise like eulogy.

  • commendation

    Commendation is formal praise for specific actions or achievements, often official (e.g. a commendation from a manager), whereas eulogy is more about general character or worth.

Antonyms
  • condemnation

    Condemnation is a strong expression of disapproval, the opposite of formal praise.

Grammar Patterns

eulogy + to + thing

eulogy + for + achievement

Usage Note

This broader sense does not imply death. It can refer to formal praise for someone retiring, for an achievement, or even for an object or idea. When the context is clear (e.g. a retirement event), use of eulogy in this sense is natural, but it is less common than the funeral-related sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The award ceremony eulogy focused on his career accomplishments.' (sounds like a funeral)
The award ceremony tribute focused on his career accomplishments.
In non-funeral contexts, tribute is more natural unless the tone is highly formal.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Eulogy, tribute, panegyric, obituary, and elegy all relate to honoring or remembering someone, but they differ in context and form. A eulogy is specifically a speech or piece of writing praising someone who has died, delivered at a funeral or memorial service. A tribute is the most common and flexible term — it can be any act, gift, or statement honoring someone, living or dead, and does not require a formal speech. A panegyric is a highly formal, often lengthy public speech of lavish praise, rare in modern use. An obituary is a printed notice of a person's death, usually published in a newspaper, providing biographical details and funeral information — it is factual, not necessarily praiseful. An elegy is a poem or song expressing sorrow and mourning, focused on grief rather than praise. For example: "The daughter delivered a moving eulogy at the funeral" (speech of praise), whereas "the obituary listed the funeral time" (factual notice), and "the poet wrote an elegy expressing her grief" (poem of sorrow).

tribute ↗panegyric ↗obituary ↗elegy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • deliver a eulogy
  • give a eulogy
  • write a eulogy
  • read a eulogy
  • compose a eulogy
  • offer a eulogy
  • a moving eulogy
  • a heartfelt eulogy
  • a glowing eulogy
  • a warm eulogy

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Eulogy comes from the Greek word eulogia, meaning 'praise' or 'good speech,' formed from eu- ('well, good') and -logia ('speaking'). It passed into Latin as eulogium and then into English in the late 1500s. The original sense in English was simply 'praise or commendation'; the specific association with funerals developed over the following centuries.