What does applaud mean?
Word: Applaud
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Applaud means to clap your hands to show you enjoyed something or that someone did well.
Synonyms: clap, cheer
Antonyms: boo, criticise
How do you spell applaud?
Syllables: ap - plaud
Tricky part: The word opens with a double p. Aplaud, with one p, is the slip teachers see most.
Watch out for: aplaud, aplauded, aplause
Memory tip: Clap, clap: a crowd never claps just once, and applaud never has just one p.
Applaud in a sentence
Example 1: Everyone stood up to applaud the dancers.
Example 2: The coach applauded the team for not giving up.
Example 3: We applauded when Nani blew out the candles.
Fun Fact
The Latin verb for clap sits inside applaud. The same root gives explode, which first meant to drive an actor off the stage by clapping and hissing.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
applaud
a) mock
b) ignore
c) praise
d) heckle
Show answer
c) praise. To applaud a brave effort is to praise it, often by clapping.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
duplaap
a) applied
b) applaud
c) appeal
d) upload
Show answer
b) applaud. Only applaud and upload use both a u and a d, and upload would also need an o.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
When the last singer finished, the whole hall rose to applawd her wonderful performance.
a) singer
b) applawd
c) performance
d) whole
Show answer
b) applawd. The vowel sound is spelt au, as in the noun applause.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) rehersal
b) audiance
c) applaud
d) orkestra
Show answer
c) applaud. Audience ends in ence, orchestra begins with orch, and rehearsal has an a after the e.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. When an audience applauds a speech, it is showing ____.
a) impatience to go home
b) approval of what was said
c) confusion about the topic
d) dislike of the speaker
Show answer
b) approval of what was said
2. Which moment would most likely make a cricket crowd applaud?
a) a sudden power cut
b) a long delay for rain
c) an easy catch dropped
d) a stunning last-ball six
Show answer
d) a stunning last-ball six
