ADULATE Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

adulate

verb

Definition of adulate

as in to adore

to love or admire too much it's ridiculous how she adulates that airheaded rock star

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to congratulate

to praise too much a business executive who unwisely surrounds herself with incompetent assistants who spend all their time adulating her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 adulate Venice pressers tend to fall on the warm/adulating side but this was clearly a film with plenty of admirers. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026 Greenery becomes an artful layer, softening the building and giving it a sense of (literal) grounding that tech-adulating blobitecture often lacks. — Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 Turkey’s TB2s became adulated in Ukraine for striking Russian tanks advancing on Kyiv at the start of that war in early 2022. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulate

Verb

But for those of us who adore the 1995 film, unfavorable comparisons seem inevitable.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
One of the most notable moments — and the scene apparently being filmed — was a sequence of shots showing the three bandmembers running away from swarps of adoring fans.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of adore

Verb

The veteran coach congratulated his team for the win and quickly pivoted to yelling about mental mistakes that kept Houston County in the game.

— Jack Leo, AJC.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Williams watched the record-breaking performance on TV from his home in Glen Ellyn and called Crow-Armstrong after the game to congratulate the 24-year-old.

— Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of congratulate

Verb

Though there are multiple interpretations of sharia, its essence is to serve as a code for how Muslims should live and worship — covering such matters as prayer, pilgrimages, fasting, charitable donations and personal virtue.

— David Crary, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
The species' non-linear approach to time, coupled with a penchant for making giant space vortices their home, suggests they're closely related to the wormhole aliens, aka Prophets, worshipped by the Bajorans.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of worship

Verb

The jury noted the film, which had its world premiere at Oldenburg, was made without a budget and praised the resourcefulness that constraint produced, comparing its tone to the irreverence of 1990s comedies.

— Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
To thunderous applause, Kirchner praised the expansive welfare programs of his mother's presidency, which ended over a decade ago.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of praise

Verb

Meanwhile, players like tight end Mike Gesicki (five catches, 78 yards, one touchdown) and running back Chase Brown (56 rushing yards, 22 receiving yards, one touchdown) opened the season on a strong note.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Consensus is overrated Chang likes to argue — with friends, over food.

— Marnie Hunter, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of like

Verb

All but one of his Sox teammates lined up down the left-field line to applaud Vasil, one of the more popular players in the clubhouse.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
When 32-year-old Alom teaches one of her students a move and the student successfully executes it, the others applaud and cheer her on.

— Maykel Gonzalez, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of applaud

Verb

Chicago 7th Ward Alderman Greg Mitchell, the main speaker at the unveiling, commended West’s cultural contributions and her legacy as an educator during her tenure at Chicago State University.

— Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Bragg, whose office had sought a 20-year prison term, commended Haley and all of the women who came forward against Weinstein, several of whom attended the hearing.

— Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of commend

Verb

The result is sometimes overpraising, overprotection, and overindulging children, mixing emotional intensity with economic privilege in ways that breed entitlement.

— Christine Michel Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
As in the case of that picture, East of Eden is backed up by masterful screen storytelling that can hardly be overpraised and is complicated by no message that can be termed controversial.

— Jack Moffitt, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2023

Definition of overpraise

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adscititious

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“Adulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulate. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of adulate

verb

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