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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb adore differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of adore are reverence, revere, venerate, and worship. While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment.

we adored our doctor

When could revere be used to replace adore?

The words revere and adore can be used in similar contexts, but revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling.

a professor revered by her students

When can reverence be used instead of adore?

While in some cases nearly identical to adore, reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring.

reverenced the academy's code of honor

When would venerate be a good substitute for adore?

The meanings of venerate and adore largely overlap; however, venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age.

heroes still venerated

When is worship a more appropriate choice than adore?

In some situations, the words worship and adore are roughly equivalent. However, worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony.

worships their memory

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of adore However, the once adoring fans dubbed Hulkamaniacs began to boo his heroic persona. Stephanie Guerilus, ABC News, 24 July 2025 The singer had an electrifying and unpredictable onstage presence and a dry sense of humor that endeared him to hordes of adoring fans. Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025 Upon their arrival, they were greeted by hundreds of adoring fans, screaming and cheering. Paul Chi, Vogue, 17 July 2025 Photo of the day: Happy birthday, Moo Deng Thailand's iconic baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrated her first birthday on Thursday, devouring a massive tropical fruit platter alongside her mother as throngs of adoring fans turned up for her four-day party. Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for adore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adore
Verb
  • The Marlins, in an ideal world, would love to keep him, but the business side of the game is likely going to dictate otherwise.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • These companies are often facing losses, but meme stock traders love them for their cheap stock price.
    Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • The vision of the Founding Fathers created a nation where individuals of all faiths can live with dignity and worship freely.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 4 July 2025
  • Baseball fans, especially those who worship the New York Yankees, may want to contemplate a move to Florida.
    Madeleine Marr July 3, Miami Herald, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • Fans drive what art gets created, what products get made, who gets canceled, and who gets venerated.
    Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 10 July 2025
  • In the post, Ramaswamy said America has venerated mediocrity.
    Scott Wartman, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • The 34-year-old, enjoying the moment, agreed, swung a few pro shots and acted along.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
  • Visitors can explore the Old State Capitol, tour distilleries like Castle & Key and Buffalo Trace, and enjoy local bars and restaurants.
    Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 26 July 2025
Verb
  • Costa's 2023 Hellcat Challenger Jailbreak modded by Hennessy with 1,100 horsepower may seem like overkill to some people, but Costa is a proud Mopar owner who likes the challenge his car gives him.
    Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 24 July 2025
  • While math inspired Medeiros, Jean Creighton likes to think about the ways that the motion of planets shapes our lives.
    Andrew Montequin, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Ethiopia’s lions are rather revered in Ethiopia, and are the country’s national symbol, adorning statues and the local currency.
    Mark Gray, People.com, 18 July 2025
  • The procession was led by a man carrying a cross on a tall pole, followed by a couple of Catholics holding a banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a popular image of the mother of Christ whom many Mexican Catholics revere.
    Niraj Warikoo, Freep.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • And every one of those girls and those counselors absolutely idolized her.
    Frank Morris, NPR, 12 July 2025
  • In South Carolina, the audience meets 15-year-old Joplin, who idolizes their gun-wielding veteran father.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • But Pi is precociously enlightened, his innocence not a problem to be rectified but a quality to be reverenced.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
  • But Trump also reverenced the tough job Emmer has in keeping the GOP majority together, with which Emmer is all too familiar after the chaotic last two years.
    Emily Brooks, The Hill, 3 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Adore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adore. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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