Words / C2

LORD-uh-bl/ˈlɔːdəbl/

Laudable means deserving praise, even if incomplete: a laudable aim, laudable honesty. Praiseworthy is the plain twin; laud (verb) and laudatory are the family. Audible is hearable — a lookalike. Do not call a finished, excellent paper merely laudable if you mean outstanding; laudable often hedges “good try / good aim”.

Meaning

Deserving praise, even if not entirely successful.

Examples

• “A laudable aim — open data — still needs a budget line.”
• “Open data is a laudable aim; without a budget line it stays a slogan.”
• “Laudatory remarks praise; audible remarks can be heard. Laudable often praises the intention more than the result.”

Good to know

Praiseworthy (often of aims). Family: laud / laudatory. Plain: praiseworthy. Mix-up: audible. Can hedge “good intention, unfinished”.

Near in meaning

praiseworthy

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