idol

noun

ˈī-dᵊl 

1

: an object of extreme devotion

a movie idol

also : ideal sense 2

2

: a representation or symbol of an object of worship

broadly : a false god

3

a

: a likeness of something

b

obsolete : pretender, impostor

4

: a false conception : fallacy

5

: a form or appearance visible but without substance

… an enchanted phantom, a lifeless idol …

—Percy Bysshe Shelley

Synonyms of idol

• hero

Examples of idol in a Sentence

an actor who is the idol of millions

a movie star whose portrayal of a comic book superhero in a blockbuster series has made him the idol of millions

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet when the lights come up and the idols of her youth begin to sing, something is unlocked. —Danielle Parker, CBS News, 19 June 2026

Fans, who never had a chance to cheer Les Grenadiers on soccer’s biggest stage, have had to decide where their loyalties will lie while players who perhaps grew up idolizing the team must now convince themselves their idols can be beaten. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026

In the space of just five minutes, Maradona lifted his nation and was elevated to the status of an idol among idols. —Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 17 June 2026

The production is a deeply personal look at her life and career, inspired by her beloved grandmother, Freddie Mae Glover, and her lifelong dream of becoming a comedic performer like her idol, Carol Burnett. —Staff Author, Southern Living, 16 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French idle, from Late Latin idolum, from Greek eidōlon image, idol; akin to Greek eidos form — more at idyll

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing idol

• fallen idol
• matinee idol

Rhymes for idol

• bridal
• bridle
• idle
• idyll
• seidel
• sidle
• tidal
• widal
• apsidal
• subtidal
• bactericidal
• insecticidal

Kids Definition

idol

noun

ˈid-ᵊl 

1

: an image worshipped as a god

2

: a greatly loved and admired person or thing