admire

verb

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ad·mire | \ əd-ˈmī(-ə)r

admired; admiring

Definition of admire

transitive verb

1 : to feel respect and approval for (someone or something) : to regard with admiration They all admired her courage.

2 archaic : to marvel at

intransitive verb

dialect : to like very much … I would admire to know why not …— A. H. Lewis

Other Words from admire Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about admire

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Choose the Right Synonym for admire

regard, respect, esteem, admire mean to recognize the worth of a person or thing. regard is a general term that is usually qualified. he is highly regarded in the profession respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation. after many years they came to respect her views esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation. no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection. a friend that I truly admire

Examples of admire in a Sentence

We gazed out the window and admired the scenery. I admire the way you handled such a touchy situation.

Recent Examples on the Web Now, even tourists on foot are barred from the sidewalk next to the South Lawn fence, where people once flocked to admire the most iconic view of the White House. — Washington Post, "How terrorists became the unspoken architects of the Capitol," 22 Feb. 2021 So, there's still a ton of great Kim content out there to admire. — Alison Caporimo, Seventeen, "Here's Every Single Time Kim Kardashian Has Posted Naked Pics on Instagram," 19 Feb. 2021 Fueled by a sparkling attacking display, Manchester City's players powered to the top of the Premier League for the first time this season — and even the opposition are stopping to admire their work. — Steve Douglas, ajc, "Watch and admire: Man City goes top of EPL after 5-0 win," 26 Jan. 2021 Enjoy gatherings at home or drive around to admire all the neighborhood decorations. — Tribune Content Agency, oregonlive, "Horoscope for Dec. 25, 2020: Aries, share time with those you love; Capricorn, make spirits bright," 25 Dec. 2020 Visitors traditionally park and walk along the streets to admire the lights, but the city is hoping that its no-stopping rules will reduce foot traffic this year. — Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, "Here are some real life things to do on Christmas Day around Los Angeles," 23 Dec. 2020 It’s not unusual to see a line of cars snaking up and down the street and a steady stream of people walking by to admire the lights and take photos. — Carol Kovach, cleveland, "Fairview Park’s Seabury neighborhood helps others with annual holiday lights display: A Place in the Sun," 15 Dec. 2020 Revelers have traveled from near and far to admire Yöung’s holiday décor and to share their snaps of his home on Instagram. — Allison Duncan, House Beautiful, "How to Hang Holiday Lights Like a Pro," 14 Dec. 2020 The Sanibel Causeway also provides a great spot to admire the view. — Cassie Armstrong, orlandosentinel.com, "Relax, you’re on (Sanibel) island time," 12 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'admire.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for admire

borrowed from Middle French admirer, Latinization of amirer "to make (little or much) of," borrowed from Latin admīrārī, ammīrārī "to regard with wonder, show esteem for," from ad- ad- + mīrārī "to be surprised, look with wonder at," derivative of mīrus, "remarkable, amazing," of uncertain origin

Note: Regarding etymology of Latin mīrus see note at smile entry 1.

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