adore

verb \ ə-ˈdȯr \

Updated on: 16 May 2018

Definition of adore

adored; adoring

transitive verb

1 : to worship or honor as a deity or as divine

2 : to regard with loving admiration and devotion

He adored his wife.

3 : to be very fond of

adores pecan pie

—

adorer

noun

See adore defined for English-language learners

See adore defined for kids

Examples of adore in a Sentence

He's a good doctor. All his patients adore him.
They adored shopping in all the boutiques.

Recent Examples of adore from the Web

Grace Kelly left Philadelphia at age 20 for Hollywood but remained adored by Philadelphians through the years.

— Fox News, "Grace Kelly's childhood home fully restored, won't be a museum for fans," 11 May 2018
The Argentine superstar is absolutely adored by fans of the club for his incredible footballing ability, but also for his loyalty down the years.

— SI.com, "Luis Suarez Reveals What He Told Lionel Messi to Convince Him to Stay at Barcelona in 2016," 6 May 2018
Kimberly was loved and adored by many and will be most remembered for her beautiful smile and sensational personality.

— orlando sentinel, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Deaths in Central Florida: 5/6," 6 May 2018
Plus, the books are infused with exciting magical elements that kids adore.

— courtney mcgee, baltimoresun.com, "Rodgers Forge students serve as muse for local author," 25 Apr. 2018
In Family Matters, Laura Winslow is adored by Steve Urkel, arguably the most quintessential nerd character in television history.

— kara brown, The Cut, "Olivia Pope Was Helen of Troy," 19 Apr. 2018
She was adored by her children & grandchildren and shared her life for 73 yrs w/the love of her life.

— lauren huff, The Hollywood Reporter, "Al Gore, Arnold Schwarzenegger and More Pay Tribute to Barbara Bush: "She Had Grit and Grace"," 18 Apr. 2018
Dachshunds, with their long bodies, stumpy little legs and hilarious run-ins with human clothing—are adored by many.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Germany’s New Dachshund Museum Is Not Just for the Dogs," 10 Apr. 2018
Technology has killed yet another beautiful custom found not exclusively in the South, but one that is certainly treasured and adored by those within our genteel region.

— beth thames, AL.com, "We like cats because, like us, they're attracted to comfort," 1 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of adore

Middle English aouren, adouren, borrowed from Anglo-French aurer, ahourer, adourer (with d restored from Latin), going back to Latin adōrāre "to plead with, appeal to, approach (a god) as a suppliant or worshipper, treat with reverence, admire," from ad- ad- + ōrāre "to pray to, beseech" — more at oration

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

adore Synonyms

Phrases

carry a torch for (or carry the torch for), fall for, lose one's heart (to);

Synonym Discussion of adore

revere, reverence, venerate, worship, adore mean to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully. revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling.

- a professor revered by her students

reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring.

- reverenced the academy's code of honor

venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age.

- heroes still venerated

worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony.

- worships their memory

adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment.

- we adored our doctor

ADORE Defined for English Language Learners

adore

verb

Definition of adore for English Language Learners

: to love or admire (someone) very much
: to like or desire (something) very much : to take great pleasure in (something)

ADORE Defined for Kids

adore

verb \ ə-ˈdȯr \

Definition of adore for Students

adored; adoring

1 : ²worship 1

2 : to be very fond of

Learn More about adore

See words that rhyme with adore Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for adore Spanish Central: Translation of adore Nglish: Translation of adore for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of adore for Arabic speakers

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adore

Definition of adore

adorer

Examples of adore in a Sentence

Recent Examples of adore from the Web

Origin and Etymology of adore

adore Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of adore

ADORE Defined for English Language Learners

adore

Definition of adore for English Language Learners

ADORE Defined for Kids

adore

Definition of adore for Students

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