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
-
But all the myth and sorrow around the dynasty mean many takes tilt hagiographic.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Gracious Visionary is a rather hagiographic film title for one’s life and work.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
22 Mar. 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
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Thanks to Epperson’s goal from the front-left side of the crease in the second OT, the Pioneers avoided a sickening taste of déjà vu.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
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Every repeat viewing of Abraham's performance reveals some new moment of humiliation — some fresh sickening glimmer of anguish that feels all too familiar.—
Devan Coggan,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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Depending on whether your skin type is oily, dry or a combination, there are different options for the best moisturizer.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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Soot, ash and toxic chemicals from strikes on fuel depots and a refinery combined with water droplets in the atmosphere and fell back to Earth as an oily, acidic rain that prompted warnings to stay indoors.—
Tammy Webber,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For the richest, densest, most unctuous quiche, choose heavy cream.—
Georgeanne Brennan,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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Then, there’s Agatha (Wasikowska) dropping into town seemingly from the sky to enact a grand plan involving her estranged family, self-help guru Stafford Weiss (Cusack), and her unctuous showbiz mom (Williams, making the case that Lady Macbeth really could’ve just used a damn cigarette).—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Paramount has continued to agitate for more fulsome negotiations to buy Warner.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
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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 2 Apr. 2026.
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