Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

adore

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of adore

1 to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for
  • an attentive, solicitous husband who clearly adores his wife
Synonyms of adore

cherish, love, worship
Words Related to adore

adulate, canonize, deify, idealize, idolize

revere, reverence, venerate

delight (in), dote (on)
Phrases Synonymous with adore

carry a torch for (or carry the torch for), fall for, lose oneʼs heart (to)
Near Antonyms of adore

antagonize, displease

disapprove (of), disfavor, dislike

disgust, nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, turn off
Antonyms of adore

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe
2 to love or admire too much
  • adores her older sister so much that she cannot see her considerable faults
Synonyms of adore

adulate, canonize, deify, dote (on), hero-worship, idolize, worship
Words Related to adore

appreciate, cherish, esteem, prize, treasure, value

fancy, favor, like, prefer

regard

hallow, respect, revere, venerate

approve, endorse (also indorse), support
Near Antonyms of adore

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, disdain, dislike, hate, loathe

belittle, deprecate, disparage, misprize, put down
3 to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power
  • the Roman soldier was beheaded for adoring the Christian god
Synonyms of adore

deify, glorify, revere, reverence, venerate, worship
Words Related to adore

admire, honor, love, regard, respect

apotheosize, canonize, dignify, exalt, lionize, magnify

extol (also extoll), laud, praise

delight, gratify, please, satisfy
Near Antonyms of adore

blaspheme, desecrate, profane, violate

affront, dishonor, disrespect, insult, offend, outrage, pique, ridicule, scorn, slight

displease

defame, disparage, libel, malign, slander, slur, smear
4 to take pleasure in
  • I adore those earrings—wherever did you get them?
Synonyms of adore

delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, love, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in), savor (also savour)
Words Related to adore

admire, appreciate, cherish, revere, venerate, worship

prize, treasure, value

devour, drink (in), eat (up), feast (on)

dote (on), idolize

cotton (to), favor, prefer

indulge (in), luxuriate (in), wallow (in)
Phrases Synonymous with adore

be partial to, get a kick out of (or charge), go for, have a soft spot for, take to
Near Antonyms of adore

abhor, abominate, detest, dislike, hate, loathe

condemn, despise, scorn

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

Learn More about adore

  1. See words that rhyme with adore Dictionary: Definition of adore Spanish Central: Translation of adore Nglish: Translation of adore for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of adore for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up adore? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

wherewithal

means, resources, or money

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. cache BuzzFeed reports on Trump-Cohen documents.

  2. intransigence, intransigent Trump cancels Davos trip.

  3. white supremacist Steve King discusses views.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games