adulate

transitive verb

ad·​u·​late ˈa-jə-ˌlāt  -dyə- 

-də-

-ed/-ing/-s

1

a

: to praise effusively and slavishly : flatter excessively : fawn upon

sheepish fools that adulate every decision of their leaders

b

: to pay homage to without exercising a critical sense of values

a man who respects science without adulating it

2

: to admire or be devoted to abjectly and excessively

teenagers adulating the newest movie star

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from adulation

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Rhymes for adulate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• amputate

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Kids Definition

adulate

verb

ad·​u·​late

ˈaj-ə-ˌlāt

adulated; adulating

: to flatter or admire excessively

adulation

ˌaj-ə-ˈlā-shən

noun

adulator

ˈaj-ə-ˌlāt-ər

noun

adulatory

ˈaj-ə-lə-ˌtōr-ē, 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective