What does praising mean?
“Praising” means expressing approval, admiration, or esteem for someone or something. It is the present-participle and gerund form of the verb “praise,” and it commonly describes the act of commending a person’s conduct, work, or achievement. For example, someone may praise a performer’s discipline, a colleague’s generosity, or a government’s decision. The word is generally neutral and positive, though its effect depends on the sincerity and specificity of the praise: genuine recognition can encourage someone, while vague or excessive approval may sound insincere. As a gerund, “praising” can name the activity itself, as in “The author was accused of praising the policy without acknowledging its limitations.” The word is related to “precious” and “appraise,” all of which trace back to the Latin root associated with value and worth.
verbExpressing approval or admiration for someone or something. As a present participle, it can also function as a gerund, meaning the act of giving praise.
- Expressing approval, admiration, or esteem for a person, action, achievement, or work.
- Functioning as a gerund: the act or activity of giving praise.
"The director praised the cast for their exceptional work."
"The teacher praised the students for their thoughtful contributions."
"He went from praising the proposal to suggesting several major changes."
A word for expressing admiration, “praising” comes from the same Latin root as “precious” and “appraise.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How praising is actually used
“Praising” is a present-participle and gerund form of “praise.” It is neutral in register, although the phrase “singing someone’s praises” is idiomatic and can suggest especially enthusiastic or repeated approval.
Easily confused with praising
“Praise” is the base verb or noun, while “praising” specifically indicates the action of expressing approval or admiration.
“Praise” and “praise” express approval, whereas “price” refers to the amount of money asked for something.