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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb adore differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of adore are reverence, revere, venerate, and worship. While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment.

we adored our doctor

When could revere be used to replace adore?

The words revere and adore can be used in similar contexts, but revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling.

a professor revered by her students

When can reverence be used instead of adore?

While in some cases nearly identical to adore, 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

When would venerate be a good substitute for adore?

The meanings of venerate and adore largely overlap; however, venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age.

heroes still venerated

When is worship a more appropriate choice than adore?

In some situations, the words worship and adore are roughly equivalent. However, worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony.

worships their memory

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of adore And people adore the unique artwork—so much so that Van Wolfwinkle's drawings, which began as a joke, have gone on to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity. Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 Thousands of troops from multiple branches of the military rehearsed for weeks under the adoring eyes and feverish applause from the local people. Nga Pham, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025 Now, McTominay is in a team built around him and in a city that adores him. Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 But by the end of the first episode, viewers learn the truth when Matty returns home to a gorgeous mansion and the arms of Edwin, her adoring husband of nearly 50 years. Jenelle Riley, Variety, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for adore
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adore
Verb
  • The anti-book club, book club: Why people are loving silent reading events Need a new book?
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • For texture, Drew loves working with plaster and lime wash to create that softness.
    Eleni N. Gage, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • The Alchemy 24s are introduced as a sneaker to be worshipped, but those and the other shoes featured throughout the film, lack detail.
    Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Men, converting to worshipping a little white ball, plan their golf tournaments with each other, and find an enemy who must be humbled.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Managing ego doesn’t mean failing to acknowledge rising generations of performers who, nearly to a woman, openly venerate her for helping to pave their way.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Apr. 2025
  • From union leaders to foreign students There are some striking parallels between the throttling of civil liberties during the Cold War and President Donald Trump’s crusade against foreign students exercising venerated democratic freedoms.
    Rick Baldoz, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Visitors can also enjoy a dozen dining options with cuisine inspired by the region, 24 bars, Mariachi performances and shopping from local artisans, according to a news release.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • There are oysters of various species available, and from Thursday to Sunday 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, guests can enjoy a selection priced at $1.50, with gaufrettespotato chips, and a selection of red, white, rosé, and sparkling for $10 a glass.
    John Mariani, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • That sounds ominously like a plan to sue cities and states over laws, like Florida’s ban on rifle sales to people under 21, that the gun lobby doesn’t like.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 May 2025
  • The designer, 41, likes to tumble together disparate references, from classical tailoring to streetwear to offbeat historical references, including Flemish Old Masters.
    Miles Socha, Footwear News, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • The founder's namesake brand's latest creation has an invisible finish (as someone with melanin-rich skin, this was of the utmost importance to the founder) and goes beyond protecting skin thanks to Kashmiri saffron, a Ayurvedic ingredient revered for its ability to repair the look of dark spots.
    Jackie Fields, People.com, 1 May 2025
  • His grandfather, revered St. Louisan and Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Harry Caray, anchored Cardinals games from 1945-69 before voicing the Cubs at the end of his career.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Buy Now Of Course Listening to an Audiobook 'Counts' as Reading — and Why the Debate Just Distracts Us From What Matters 08 of 08 'Fake Skating' by Lynn Painter Dani couldn't help idolizing her mom's best friend's son Alec growing up.
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • In Ellis’ novel, Patrick Bateman also idolizes Donald Trump, who is currently serving his second term as the U.S. president.
    Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 15 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But Pi is precociously enlightened, his innocence not a problem to be rectified but a quality to be reverenced.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
  • But Trump also reverenced the tough job Emmer has in keeping the GOP majority together, with which Emmer is all too familiar after the chaotic last two years.
    Emily Brooks, The Hill, 3 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Adore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adore. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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