Make Your Point: EXTOL

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pronounce EXTOL:

eck STOLE

connect this word to others:

The beautiful word extol means to praise, to acclaim, to applaud, to commend, to glorify, or to ex___.

Can you recall that last synonym? It literally means "to (bring) high out of," and we use it to mean "to lift up to a higher level of power, respect, or dignity."

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

"Extol" has Latin bits that literally mean "to raise up." We've used it in English since the 1500s.

To extol things is to praise them: to speak about how great or wonderful they are.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Verb, the transitive kind: "She extols the benefits of green tea;" "In a poem, he extols the virtues of Chicago."

Other forms:

Extolled, extolling; extoller(s).

For the noun for the concept, we usually just say "extolling," but there's also "extolment" and "extollation."

how to use it:

Pick the common, serious, formal, poetic, dramatic word "extol" when you want to call special attention to someone who seems to be singing the praises of something.

Often we say that people are "extolling the virtues" or "extolling the benefits" of something. But people can extoll anything, like theories, cities, accomplishments, or even other people. "Ed Sheeran has been extolled as one of the most talented songwriters of his generation."

examples:

"He sent a flurry of wires to Howard, extolling the superb racing strip, mild fall weather, and general beauty of New York."
— Laura Hillenbrand, Seabiscuit, 1999

"Ronald Reagan worked as a 'traveling ambassador' for General Electric, visiting plants across the country to extol a free-market system."
— Casey Newton, The Verge, 16 August 2019

has this page helped you understand "extol"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "extol" without saying "to praise" or "to honor."

try it out:

Fill in the blanks: "(Some song, poem, ad, video, article, book, movie, or other creation) extols the virtues of (someone or something)."

Example: "The 1984 bop 'Let's Hear it for the Boy,' by Deniece Williams, extols the virtues of a quiet, modest man of deep devotion."

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for April is "Interpret the Titles: Tim Curry Edition!"

Are you a fan of Tim Curry? (How could anyone not be?) Did you know his birthday is in April? I didn't until I looked it up, but it’s the perfect excuse to base this month's game on his filmography.

I'll give you the title of some show, movie, or video game that Tim Curry has starred in, along with a summary, and I'll challenge you to interpret the title in three different ways.

To see some examples, and some tips if you get stuck, head here!

Try this one today: "Recess" was a 1997-2001 animated TV show made by Disney that starred Tim Curry as the voice of Dr. Slicer. According to IMDb, the show was a comedy about "a group of good friends, four boys and two girls, during breaks in primary school, as they grow up, relate to each other, and have brushes with authority." It had plenty of devoted fans, one of whom writes: "The characters can relate to us if you are, or were once a kid. Truly, an enjoyable half hour of animated bliss." Another fan provides some context: "When it comes to TV shows, [Disney] really stinks. Examples of this include Disney's sickening Doug and stereotype-filled Pepper Ann. But with this I am shocked... Recess is actually clever and fun to watch."

1. It's titled "Recess" because... ?

2. It's titled "Recess" because... ?

3. It's titled "Recess" because... ?

To see some possible answers, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. Opposites of EXTOL include

A. INSULT and ABASE.
B. INCUR and PROVOKE.
C. INVITE and EMBRACE.

2. In The Best of Enemies, Osha Gray Davidson wrote: "They were raised on an ethic that _____ the power of the individual to shape his or her life, and then forced into a world where they were treated like cogs in a vast machine."

A. extolled
B. extolled on
C. extolled out of

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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