ADORINGLY Synonyms: 324 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

adore 1 of 3

verb (1)

ə-ˈdȯr

Definition of adore

as in to love

to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for an attentive, solicitous husband who clearly adores his wife

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to like

to love or admire too much adores her older sister so much that she cannot see her considerable faults

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to venerate

to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power the Roman soldier was beheaded for adoring the Christian god

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as in to enjoy

to take pleasure in I adore those earrings—wherever did you get them?

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adoring

2 of 3

adjective

ə-ˈdȯr-iŋ

as in loving

feeling or showing love adoring grandparents who love to spoil their grandchildren

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in affectionate

reflecting great admiration or devotion the adoring attention of the girls' gymnastics team when our local Olympic hero spoke to them

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adoring

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of adore

as in worshipping

to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for an attentive, solicitous husband who clearly adores his wife

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in liking

to love or admire too much adores her older sister so much that she cannot see her considerable faults

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in venerating

to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power the Roman soldier was beheaded for adoring the Christian god

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in enjoying

to take pleasure in I adore those earrings—wherever did you get them?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Verb

The homes of most other celebrities aren’t thronged by adoring fans, certainly not half a century after their deaths. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Gore says his commitment to Hammer, his first major acquisition in the film world, is backed by a deeply personal connection, having adored its horrors while growing up in the late 60s and 70s. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Adjective

Mom and daughter share adoring glances at an event to celebrate International Women's Day in London. — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026 The Patriots’ pass coverage without Christian Gonzalez, their atrocious inside linebacker play and roller-coaster special teams, which give any adoring fan a heart attack at a moment’s notice. — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 16 Sep. 2025

Verb

Alonso tied the score in the ninth inning Tuesday with his 300th career homer and took a rare curtain call on the road to acknowledge adoring Mets fans still unhappy about his departure for Baltimore last December. — CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026 Literary scholars have since described the book as highly sanitized, based largely on the family’s adoring memories, and shaped by the social ideals of Victorian England. — Vogue, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adore

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adore

Verb

The theme of Season 2, Harjo says, is to figure out how to love yourself — and how that love will extend to everyone else in your life.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Always one for a picture-perfect moment of her family, Joan loved to put the kids in matching outfits while entertaining guests at home.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of love

Verb

The leader of the breakfast and lunch chain, which brings in over $1 billion in annual revenue, likes to break bread with staffers rather than hide away in a corner office.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Overcast Milan was looking even grayer than I’d have liked, but I was heartened by a gracious welcome at the Park Hyatt, tucked away on a side street of the Piazza del Duomo.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of like

Verb

Reed, venerated for his solo artistry and collaborations with the Velvet Underground, is a quintessential New York City artist of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
The kids who venerate McQueen as a fashion figurehead these days, after all, are likely to be found at the Cyberdog, just like McGirr once was.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of venerate

Verb

Residents enjoy a Jack Nicklaus Signature 18-hole golf course, miles of hiking and biking trails, tennis and pickleball courts, and endless opportunities on Lake Keowee, including boating, swimming, or simply quiet moments on the water.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026
However, desperate to enjoy all the benefits of her unconventional and self-serving situation, without shouldering any of the blame, Uta proposes that Morio be the donor for Junna’s child, and that all three of them move in together.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of enjoy

Verb

The government characterized Lemon as part of the demonstration, arguing his actions at a church crossed the line from a reporting to a protesting role, violating the First Amendment right to worship and freedom of religion.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
During the days leading up to Vijayadashami, the goddess Durga is worshipped in her various forms as Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.

— Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of worship

Verb

Indigenous Peoples Day provides an alternative option for those not wanting to recognize the controversial historical figure, and counters the narrative of Columbus being someone to idolize.

— Mackenzie Chase, The Washington Examiner, 12 Oct. 2026
Combs idolized his father, Melvin, wearing his portrait on a medallion around his neck; Christian treats his father with the same reverence.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of idolize

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“Adore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adore. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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