idol

noun

ˈī-dᵊl 

1

: an object of extreme devotion

a movie idol

also : ideal sense 2

2

: a representation or symbol of an object of worship

broadly : a false god

3

a

: a likeness of something

b

obsolete : pretender, impostor

4

: a false conception : fallacy

5

: a form or appearance visible but without substance

… an enchanted phantom, a lifeless idol …

—Percy Bysshe Shelley

Synonyms of idol

• hero

Examples of idol in a Sentence

an actor who is the idol of millions

a movie star whose portrayal of a comic book superhero in a blockbuster series has made him the idol of millions

Recent Examples on the Web

Fernandes considers his compatriot and namesake Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United as one of his idols. —Adam Leventhal, New York Times, 4 June 2026

Baoase is also transporting, as any memorable hotel should be, with a strong Asian-esque design that includes ubiquitous Balinese Hindu statues, idols, and sculptures, and a reliance on simplicity over dazzle. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

Are Henry James’s heroines, surely among the most extraordinary female characters in literary history, really one-dimensional idols? —Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026

Singer, actor, talk show host, and one-time teen idol Donny Osmond was crowned the DWTS season 9 winner along with pro dancer Kym Johnson. —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French idle, from Late Latin idolum, from Greek eidōlon image, idol; akin to Greek eidos form — more at idyll

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing idol

• fallen idol
• matinee idol

Rhymes for idol

• bridal
• bridle
• idle
• idyll
• seidel
• sidle
• tidal
• widal
• apsidal
• subtidal
• bactericidal
• insecticidal

Kids Definition

idol

noun

ˈid-ᵊl 

1

: an image worshipped as a god

2

: a greatly loved and admired person or thing