What does extolling mean?
Extolling is the act of praising something or someone with great enthusiasm, and it functions as the present participle and gerund of the formal verb 'to extol.' When a speaker is extolling a policy, a person, or an idea, they are not offering mild approval but celebrating its merits openly and at length — a critic might be extolling a novel's prose, or a coach extolling her team's resilience. The word sits firmly in formal and elevated registers, appearing most often in journalism, reviews, speeches, and literary writing rather than casual conversation. Its connotations are wholly positive, though the intensity of the praise it describes can sometimes suggest exaggeration or fulsome flattery. A common construction is 'extolling the virtues (or benefits) of something.' The word traces back to Latin extollere, 'to lift up,' so to extol is figuratively to raise its subject high — a vivid image embedded in everyday praise.
verb (present participle and gerund of 'extol')The act of praising someone or something enthusiastically and highly; the present participle or gerund of the verb 'extol.'
- Praising someone or something highly and enthusiastically, especially in speech or writing.
- (As a gerund) The act or practice of giving such high praise.
"The ceremony closed with the mayor extolling the volunteers' tireless dedication to the city."
"The review was little more than an exercise in extolling the director's earlier films."
"She spent the evening extolling the virtues of life in the countryside."
When you extol something, you literally 'lift it up' — the word comes straight from Latin tollere, meaning 'to raise,' the same root behind 'tolerate' and even the word 'tall.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of extolling
'Extolling' derives from the verb 'extol,' which entered English in the 15th–16th century from Latin extollere, formed from ex- ('up') and tollere ('to lift, raise'). The literal image is of lifting something high in celebration. The same Latin root tollere also gave English 'tolerate' and, more distantly, 'toll' and 'tall.' British English occasionally spells the base verb 'extoll,' but the participle 'extolling' is identical in both varieties.
Related word forms
How extolling is actually used
'Extolling' belongs chiefly to formal or elevated registers — journalism, speeches, reviews, and literary prose. It carries a strongly positive connotation and often implies praise that is effusive or sustained. In British English the verb is sometimes spelled 'extoll,' yielding 'extolling' either way; American English standardizes on 'extol.'
Easily confused with extolling
'Exalting' means elevating in rank, status, or dignity, whereas 'extolling' means praising verbally in enthusiastic terms.