What does praiseworthy mean?
Word: Praiseworthy
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Praiseworthy means deserving praise and admiration.
Synonyms: commendable, admirable, laudable, creditable
Antonyms: shameful, blameworthy
Word origin: A compound formed in English; its first part comes from Old French preisier, 'to value'.
How do you spell praiseworthy?
Syllables: praise - wor - thy
Tricky part: The silent e at the end of the first part stays when the second part is added, so the word is not praisworthy.
Watch out for: praisworthy, praisewothy
Memory tip: Write the first part in full, silent e and all, before you add the second part.
Praiseworthy in a sentence
Example 1: Her decision to give up her seat to the old man was praiseworthy.
Example 2: The class collected six hundred books for the village library, a praiseworthy effort.
Example 3: The coach said our fielding was praiseworthy even though we lost.
Fun Fact
Praiseworthy is a little more formal than good or great, which is why school reports and award citations often use it.
Practise the CREST Way
Sound Check
In which word is 'ai' pronounced differently?
a) complaint
b) plaintive
c) said
d) praiseworthy
Show answer
c) said. In said the ai is a short e, as in bed; in the other three it is the long a of day.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
The judges called the young volunteers' effort praiseworthey and gave each of them a certificate for cleaning the beach.
a) judges and beach
b) praiseworthey and certificate
c) only praiseworthey
d) only volunteers'
Show answer
c) only praiseworthey. The adjective ends in -thy, as in healthy, with no e before the y; certificate is correct.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with the word opposite in meaning:
1. praiseworthy 2. reckless 3. flimsy a. sturdy b. cautious c. disgraceful
a) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
c) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a. Something praiseworthy is the reverse of disgraceful, a reckless driver is not cautious, and a flimsy box is the opposite of a sturdy one.
Word Champ
Read the statements and choose the correct option:
1. Praiseworthy work deserves to be admired. 2. A commendable effort deserves praise. 3. A shameful act deserves a reward.
a) all three are true
b) only 3 is true
c) only 1 and 2 are true
d) only 2 and 3 are true
Show answer
c) only 1 and 2 are true. A shameful act deserves blame, not a reward, so statement 3 is false.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which act would a head teacher most likely call praiseworthy?
a) talking during the national anthem
b) returning a lost wallet to its owner
c) arriving late for the assembly
d) leaving litter in the classroom
Show answer
b) returning a lost wallet to its owner
2. The coach called the team's fielding praiseworthy even though they lost. He meant that the fielding ___.
a) needed far more practice
b) was good enough to admire
c) was too slow to matter
d) was the reason they lost
Show answer
b) was good enough to admire
