hail1
verb
1 a friend hailed him from the upper deck:
greet, salute, address, halloo, speak to, call out to, shout to, say hello to, initiate a discussion with, talk to;
nod to, wave to, smile at, signal to, lift one's hat to, acknowledge;
accost, approach, waylay, stop, catch;
informal collar, buttonhole;
British, informal nobble.
▷antonyms say goodbye to.
2 he hailed a cab:
flag down, wave down, signal to stop, gesture to stop, make a sign to;
call to, shout to;
summon, accost.
3 the critics hailed the new film as a masterpiece:
acclaim, praise, applaud, commend, rave about, extol, eulogize, vaunt, hymn, lionize, express approval of, express admiration for, pay tribute to, speak highly of, sing the praises of, make much of;
glorify, cheer, salute, exalt, honor, hurrah, hurray, toast, welcome, pay homage to;
British, informal big up;
North American, informal ballyhoo;
dated cry up;
archaic emblazon;
rare laud, panegyrize.
▷antonyms criticize, condemn.