1
as in hagiographic
overly or insincerely flattering
an office flunky who can be counted on to make an adulatory response to the boss's every suggestion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adoring
reflecting great admiration or devotion
an adulatory eulogy delivered at a beloved teacher's retirement party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of adulatory
Reggie’s solution is to hire Arthur Tobin (Daniel Radcliffe), an Oscar-winning documentarian, to make an adulatory film about him, changing public perception and opening new doors.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
Though the pilot wasn't picked up, Spinal Tap endured, acting as the primary subject of the first film's sendup of breathlessly adulatory rock biopics like Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
Though the pilot wasn't picked up, Spinal Tap endured, acting as the primary subject of the first film's sendup of breathlessly adulatory rock biopics like Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulatory
Adjective
-
What historians and theologians know about Francis comes primarily from his own writings and hagiographic texts.—
Vanessa Corcoran,
The Conversation,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Of course, a person making a hagiographic documentary about the production of the show for Netflix probably isn’t the world’s most neutral source.—
Sharon Adarlo,
Futurism,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Andrew Buss takes an adoring but critical eye to Superbad.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, in the middle of the nation’s public transit capital, the same engineers want to expand the shadow of the Cross Bronx, using maintenance and safety standards as convenient covers while further dividing and sickening communities.—
Gustavo Rivera,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Nothing feels worse than the sickening realization that your good intentions harmed the beautiful birds in your yard.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Social Security Administration sent a gushy, questionable email July 4 to millions of people collecting Social Security benefits and others.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
-
The chatter has only grown in recent days, after Ms. Anderson — who just celebrated a birthday — posted a story on her Instagram account, showing a lavish bouquet of flowers and a gushy card from an admirer.—
Jesse McKinley,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
His widow doesn’t exactly look too broken up; less than a week after his death, Lee spots her snuggling with Dale’s brother Donald, an oleaginous candidate for governor played by Kyle MacLachlan.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
-
One defense, beginning in the late eighteen-hundreds, was flypaper, sheets of which were coated on one side with an oleaginous substance that lured flies, then permanently trapped them.—
David Owen,
The New Yorker,
27 July 2024
Adjective
-
Some residents described a thick, oily film covering cars and rooftops, The New York Times reported.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The strikes, which marked the first time in the war Israel has openly attacked civilian industrial infrastructure in Iran, sent fiery pillars and black smoke into the sky and caused oily raindrops to fall onto the city.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
There is nothing unctuous about the clear, aromatic broth.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
2 Mar. 2026
-
One of the highlights is the bread cart rolled out at the beginning of the meal, right after the waiter shaves off a roll of unctuous French butter from a huge golden mound.—
Penny E Schwartz,
Oc Register,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Paramount has continued to agitate for more fulsome negotiations to buy Warner.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Johnson, an ally of the Jacksons, wrote a fulsome tribute that nodded to Jackson’s ascent in Chicago, from building up the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization to founding the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulatory. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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