eulogy
Americannoun
-
a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially a set oration in honor of a deceased person.
-
high praise or commendation.
noun
-
a formal speech or piece of writing praising a person or thing, esp a person who has recently died
-
high praise or commendation
Commonly Confused
See elegy
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of eulogy
First recorded in 1585–95; from Late Latin eulogia eulogia and Medieval Latin eulogium eulogium
Compare meaning
How does eulogy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
At every funeral, there comes a moment when someone speaks about the life of the person who died. The speaker is delivering what is known as a eulogy. A eulogy is a formal speech that praises a person who has died. Usually a eulogy makes the dead person sound a lot more impressive than they really were. A couple of less common synonyms for this kind of "praise the dead" speech are panegyric and encomium. Sometimes the dead person was so unimpressive that there's nothing nice to say. And sometimes they were so awful that the only appropriate speech is a dyslogy that describes their faults and failings.
Vocabulary lists containing eulogy
March: Book One
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Hate U Give
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Members of the Republican Guard carried the casket draped in a French flag into the courtyard to the beat of a drum before Macron read a eulogy, saying Jospin fought for justice and freedom.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
And when the next bombshell research report drops, ask yourself: Do I own the companies in the obituary section or the companies writing the eulogy?
From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026
“This isn’t a eulogy for South-Central. … This isn’t about who we were. It’s very aspirational,” Halsey said during an interview at the park days before its official opening.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
Presenter and comedian Elis James delivered a eulogy, saying that Daniel's death "devastated the whole family and the whole community", coming seven years after the "horror" of Bradford.
From BBC • Jan. 26, 2026
The next day, Wednesday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the eulogy for Addie, Denise, and Cynthia at a joint funeral.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
