These words all pertain to the act of commending someone or something. Praise is the most general of these and the least formal. It can refer to overall approval: He praised his friend as being one of the finest human beings he had ever met. Or it can refer to a specific accomplishment: All the critics praised the new play for its originality and emotional impact. Sometimes the word can suggest the approval of a superior: a teacher who never forgot to praise the slow learner who struggled to master the day’s lesson. When the situation is reversed, homage to the Deity is usually involved: They praised God for their safe deliverance from the perils of the flood. At its weakest, it can refer to the mere paying of compliments that may or may not be sincere: Confidence men usually praise the shrewdness of the gullible victims they are in the process of fleecing.

Laud indicates the highest of praise and may suggest recognition of a special or formal kind: a citation that lauded him for his twenty years of service with the firm. The word can indicate excessive praise , as well, or praise formalized, officious or ceremonious: a set of annual screen awards broken down into so many categories that even bit players stood a chance of being lauded . Extol also suggests formal praise . The word’s derivation from a Latin root meaning to raise up is reflected in its suggestion of an intention to elevate or magnify the recipient: The associate professor was publicly extolled by his head of department on the occasion of his promotion to full professor.

Eulogize often suggests formal praise given in a public speech, although the word can also apply to a written tribute. The word can imply a public or official testimonial, particularly one delivered at a funeral: friends who came forward to eulogize the dead hero. Acclaim suggests applause or vocal approval, especially by a mass of well-wishers: The party meeting acclaimed the nominee with an uproarious demonstration of their support. Used more generally, the word can suggest widespread popularity or public backing: The whole nation acclaimed the court’s history-making decision; a singer acclaimed far and wide for his unique vocal style.