commend

Commend is a verb with several related senses centered on praise, endorsement, or entrusting. The primary meaning is to praise or express approval of someone or something: for example, a person may be commended for bravery, or a book may be commended to readers.

A second sense is to entrust or commit to the care, protection, or guidance of someone: “to commend a prisoner to the warder’s custody” or “I commend this matter to your attention.” In religious or formal usage, commend can mean to entrust to God or a higher power, as in “I commend my soul to you.”

The noun form is commendation, which refers to praise, endorsement, or a formal act of recommendation or recognition.

Etymology and usage context: commend derives from Old French commend and Latin commendare, meaning to entrust or commit. In modern English, commend often carries a formal or ceremonial tone. It can imply both praise and the act of entrusting something to someone, whereas “recommend” is more typically about advising or suggesting what should be done.

Representative contrasts: you commend a project to an audience or committee (endorsement or appeal to consider it), you recommend a course of action (advising what is wise to do), and you commend someone to another’s care (entrusting them) or to God (a devotional sense).

In sum, commend covers praising, endorsing, or entrusting, with usage varying by formality and context. Related forms include commendable (adjective) and commendation (noun).