A commendationan expression of approval or praise; sometimes an official recognition is a positive expression of approvalagreement or acceptance, showing that something is considered good or praise. It can also mean an official award or public recognition for service or braverycourage shown when facing danger or difficulty, so the word has two related but distinct uses.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˌkɑmənˈdeɪʃən/
Easy pronunciation: kom-men-DAY-shun (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress on DAY; secondary stress on the first syllable.
Use this for the noun meaning a message or expression showing approval or praise, not the official award sense.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Commendation Meaning
a note or statement saying someone or something is good
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a message or expression showing approval or praise
Example: The teacher gave her a commendation for her hard work.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- approval — A direct fit for the sense of expressing a favorable opinion.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Commendation
Meaning 2
an official honor given for good service or brave action
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an official award, usually given publicly for bravery or service
Example: He received a commendation for rescuing the child from the river.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- citation — Can work in this official-award sense, especially in formal or military usage.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Commendation Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- approval
official award or public honor
- citation
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse commendation with a general compliment in every context; it can also refer to a formal award.
- Citation can mean a formal recognition, but it is not always interchangeable with commendation outside official contexts.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does commendation mean?
Commendation usually means praise or approval. In formal contexts, it can also mean an official award or public honor.
What are synonyms for commendation?
For the praise sense, approval is the strongest synonym in the supplied data. For the award sense, citation is a possible synonym in formal usage.
Is commendation always an award?
No. It often means praise or approval, and only sometimes refers to a formal award or recognition.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-19. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.