Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PLAUDITS
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PLAUDITS:
Say it "PLOD its."
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connect this word to others:
See if you can recall a word closely related to applause, applaud, and plaudits:
____-__plaud___ people and things are proud and congratulatory of themselves, as if they're clapping for themselves.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
Just like the word "applaud," the word "plaudit" traces back to the Latin plaudere, meaning "to clap, to beat, to strike, or to approve."
A plaudit is a round of applause, or any other thing you say or do that shows happy approval.
In other words, plaudits are expressions of praise or approval, usually from the public.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun, the plural kind: "He won plaudits for his musicals."
Other forms:
You could talk about a single plaudit, but we hardly ever do.
Every now and again, "plaudit" is a verb, too, meaning "to clap for, or to show praise or approval of," as in "She was plaudited for this accomplishment."
how to use it:
When terms like "cheers," "kudos," and "pats on the back" are too casual, pick the formal, semi-common word "plaudits."
Most often we talk about people, places, things, and accomplishments that win plaudits: "They won plaudits for developing this vaccine so fast;" "He keeps winning plaudits for his novels."
Although we usually say that plaudits are "won," they can also be "earned," "deserved," "gathered," "denied," etc.
examples:
"EA's latest, online-only 'SimCity' won plaudits for incorporating some of the most topical themes in urban planning, including environmental and renewable energy issues."
— Malathi Nayak, Reuters, 11 March 2013
"Small restaurants — even those with big ideals, many plaudits and a loving fan base — will be harder and harder pressed to survive COVID-19."
— Bethany Jean Clement, Seattle Times, 22 October 2020
has this page helped you understand "plaudits"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "plaudits" without saying "applause" or "commendations."
try it out:
Often, we point out how someone won plaudits for helping society or creating something wonderful. Let's check out three examples.
1. From the New York Times: "The plaudits for [Elizabeth Warren] are for spearheading the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau."
2. From the Guardian: "[A former president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva] won international plaudits for his fight against hunger."
3. From the Washington Post: "[The opera singer Lillian Evanti] earned plaudits for a bill that mixed arias and spirituals."
Following these examples, talk about a public figure who interests you: what has this person created or accomplished that won plaudits?
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 January is "Find the Missing Link."
In each chain of words, find the one that's missing from the middle. This missing link, according to a thesaurus, is a synonym of each word on its left and right. But as you'll see, the words on the left and right are most definitely not synonyms!
For example, if I give you "special → _____ → typical," then you answer, "peculiar," because sometimes "peculiar" means "special, different, odd," but other times it means "typical of this, specific to this, distinctively this."
To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Your answer might be different from mine but just as good. Enjoy!
Try this one today:
lovely → _____ → subdued
review this word:
A. EMBERS.
B. BRICKBATS.
C. FIRST FRUITS.
2. The Onion joked, "Chernobyl: The HBO miniseries _____ plaudits for the _____ choice to tell its story from the perspective of a mute, 800-ton uranium dioxide reactor."
A. drew .. dumb
B. earned .. bold
C. risked .. controversial
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:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
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.
See if you can recall a word closely related to applause, applaud, and plaudits:
Just like the word "applaud," the word "plaudit" traces back to the Latin plaudere, meaning "to clap, to beat, to strike, or to approve."
Part of speech:
When terms like "cheers," "kudos," and "pats on the back" are too casual, pick the formal, semi-common word "plaudits."
"EA's latest, online-only 'SimCity' won plaudits for incorporating some of the most topical themes in urban planning, including environmental and renewable energy issues."
Explain the meaning of "plaudits" without saying "applause" or "commendations."
Often, we point out how someone won plaudits for helping society or creating something wonderful. Let's check out three examples.
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.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
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