English Reference
Verb

extol

v.
C1 Advanced Oxford US /ɪkˈstoʊɫ/ UK /ɛkstˈəʊl/ ex·tol UK spelling extolled, extols

v.to praise something or someone very highly. You use this when you want to show that something is excellent or has great value.

v.to praise highly or enthusiastically. Transitive; typically formal or literary register.


SIMPLE

They always extol the benefits of a healthy diet.

CONTEXTUAL

Health experts often extol the virtues of walking daily to improve cardiovascular fitness and mental clarity.

COMPLEX

In his final speech, the retiring professor chose to extol the importance of academic integrity, urging his students to maintain rigorous standards throughout their professional careers.

Embracing positions extolled by the Kremlin, the Alternative for Germany party may govern for the first time in a German state.

The New York Times· 10 Sept 2026

Why did Astell and Macaulay reject those ‘virtues’ that their male peers extolled?

Aeon· 18 Aug 2026

Borrowed from Latin extollō (“elevate, raise high”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Rare
Updated