admiration

noun

ad·​mi·​ra·​tion ˌad-mə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce admiration (audio)
Synonyms of admiration
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

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
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.
Sometimes people who mutually crave admiration from each other also have romantic feelings. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026 During the interview, Robinson claimed an uprising is underway in Australia and declared his admiration for Hanson, while Stefanovic complimented Robinson’s tenacity and suggested some of Hanson’s ideas were gaining traction with mainstream voters. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 June 2026 Love of music and admiration for the people who do it. Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 Carlos expressed admiration for the variety of cultures present at El Mercadito. Asher Rae Aguirre, Mercury News, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for admiration

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of admiration was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Admiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/admiration. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

admiration

noun
ad·​mi·​ra·​tion ˌad-mə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce admiration (audio)
1
: an object of admiring regard
2
: a feeling of great and delighted approval

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