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

Meanwhile, Brady gets a group together with Maggie, Thien An, Jelly, Devin, Carter, and Lewis to get rid of Kristin because Maggie thinks Kristin has an idol and doesn’t want to work with her. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

So notoriously gruelling are the demands on trainee idols that the Korean government has a contract template to forestall the most inhumane conditions. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026

But no deal has materialized because Fenkel and Katz have ruthlessly protected A24’s cool factor (the abstract secret sauce that’s trained younger generations to reclaim the moviegoing experience and make edgy auteurs their idols). — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 4 Nov. 2026

This year’s honorees are country star Barbara Mandrell, singer and onetime teen idol Paul Anka, actor Andy Garcia, music producer David Foster, and playwright David Mamet. — News Desk, Artforum, 3 Nov. 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