commend verb Synonyms praise, compliment, congratulate, applaud, salute, honor Antonyms criticize, scorn, condemn Based on the thesaurus entry, which word would best replace the underlined word without changing the overall meaning of this sentence? The principal commended the winner of the essay contest by awarding her a certificate of excellence. A. criticized B. thanked C. awarded D. honored
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: D. honored
Explanation:
In the sentence, “The principal commended the winner of the essay contest by awarding her a certificate of excellence,” the word commended means to express approval or praise for someone, often in a formal way. The context of the sentence shows that the principal is giving positive recognition to the winner.
From the thesaurus entry provided, synonyms of commend include praise, compliment, congratulate, applaud, salute, and honor. These words all suggest that the speaker is showing admiration or approval.
Let us evaluate the answer choices:
- A. criticized – This is an antonym of commend. To criticize someone is to point out faults, which contradicts the positive tone of the sentence. It changes the meaning entirely.
- B. thanked – Although related to showing appreciation, thanked does not fully match commended, which implies public or formal recognition, not just gratitude.
- C. awarded – This word describes giving something (like a certificate) but does not fully capture the idea of praise or recognition in speech or gesture. In the sentence, the act of awarding is already mentioned separately, so replacing commended with awarded would be repetitive and weaken the sentence.
- D. honored – This is a close synonym to commended and fits the tone of formal recognition. It means to show great respect or admiration, especially publicly. The sentence would read: “The principal honored the winner of the essay contest by awarding her a certificate of excellence,” which maintains the original meaning and keeps the sentence natural and coherent.
Therefore, “honored” is the best replacement for commended in this sentence.
