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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of adulatory
Besides being a record of events, the work is a crafty portrayal of kingship, presenting Akbar in an adulatory tone, as an exemplary and divinely favored ruler.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
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
Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulatory
Adjective
-
While these celebrity docs are hagiographic and formulaic, the interviews with Nadal and family and rivals like Federer and Novak Djokovic do push beyond the surface.—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
But all the myth and sorrow around the dynasty mean many takes tilt hagiographic.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 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
-
But a falling out with former owner Glen Taylor kept him from returning to his ‘Sota to give adoring fans another chance to thank him for 14 seasons with No. 21 on his back and Minnesota in his heart.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Toxic fumes are leaking into airplanes and sickening passengers and crew members at an alarming rate, according to a September 2025 report by The Wall Street Journal.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
-
The concept of this many women vying for West is somewhat sickening to me.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Except for the unfettered devotion in the latter is replaced by swooping strings and a gushy chorus that merely offer an antiseptic veneer.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
-
The announcement may come as a shock for country fans who have followed the couple through their sappy podcast appearances and gushy acceptance speeches.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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
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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
-
Key Takeaways Eating leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, berries, legumes, oily fish, and more may lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
16 June 2026
-
The best sunscreens for oily skin take this into account, by making application as enjoyable with little to no greasiness or breakout aftermath.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
The unctuous and sweet char siu pork jowl is interspersed with green apple pressed with lime and ginger for a bright and crisp counter to the fatty pig.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
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Made with the unctuous 8-percent-fat milk of the water buffalo—animals that may have arrived in the area via the Normans by way of Sicily, or perhaps by the Goths coming from Central Asia—buffalo mozzarella has been produced at least since the twelfth century.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
But that doesn't mean the government is going to do that in a fulsome way.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
But a more fulsome treatment of the issue is needed.—
Daniel Wallach,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulatory. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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