admiration

noun

ad·​mi·​ra·​tion ˌad-mə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: a feeling of respect and approval

They had/felt great admiration for her courage.

2

: an object of esteem

… his perfect horsemanship … was one of my earliest admirations.

—Joseph Conrad

3

archaic : wonder

Synonyms

• account
• appreciation
• esteem
• estimation
• favor
• regard
• respect

Examples of admiration in a Sentence

She looked at them in admiration.

I have great admiration for her courage.

We were filled with admiration for him.

She earned the admiration of her coworkers.

I have a great admiration for her courage.

Recent Examples on the Web

In some ways, this is a good metaphor for the experience of Ramsey, of whom their co-star speaks with particular admiration. —Fernanda Pérez Sánchez, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025

The product sold out within hours—prompting admiration, side-eyes, and curiosity in equal measure. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Their grandson's social-media videos have since sparked a wave of nostalgic admiration from viewers across TikTok and Instagram. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025

Spagnuolo isn’t the only Chiefs staff member with great admiration for Edwards. —Jesse Newell, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English admiracion, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French amiracion, going back to Old French ammiration, borrowed from Latin admīrātiōn-, admīrātiō, from admīrārī "to admire" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing admiration

• self-admiration

Rhymes for admiration

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

admiration

noun

ad·​mi·​ra·​tion ˌad-mə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: an object of admiring regard

2

: a feeling of great and delighted approval