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adulatory

adjective

Definition of adulatorynext
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

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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulatory
  1. hagiographic
  2. adoring
  3. sickening
  4. gushy
  5. oleaginous
  6. oily
  7. unctuous
  8. fulsome
Adjective
  • Such hagiographic descriptors are applied to nearly all of Hagwon’s striving middle-class characters as well as most of its wealthy ones.
    — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Though mighty hagiographic, McPhee’s ability to break down a player’s gifts makes a poetic case for the game.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
Definition of hagiographic
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
Definition of adoring
Adjective
  • That is one of the most shocking moments of the series, apart from some of the twists and turns towards the end, and probably the most sickening.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Everyone felt the sickening harsh reality that this had happened on our sovereign soil and that it was meant to be an affront to everyone who felt pride in being an American.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • But something about the Ferris wheel, summer sunsets and general overindulgence convinced me that Wisconsin State Fair might just be the perfect place for romantic declarations, first dates, and altogether gushy moments.
    — Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of gushy
Adjective
  • 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
  • Ted Cruz, the perennial front-runner, is smug and oleaginous—hated equally by his colleagues and the public.
    — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 26 Sep. 2022
Definition of oleaginous
Adjective
  • The oily affair was squashed over safety concerns in the 1980s.
    — Clare Whitton, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Finally, buff off the excess oil with a clean, dry cloth until the surface no longer feels greasy or oily.
    — Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of oily
Adjective
  • Tucci co-wrote the script (with his cousin, Joseph Tropiano) and co-directed with actor Campbell Scott, who also plays a supporting role in the film as an unctuous Cadillac sales man.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The pastry is a light and airy conveyance to the unctuous, creamy foie within, while the crackly layer of flour, sugar, and butter that crowns each treat lands a contrasting crunch.
    — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of unctuous
Adjective
  • Of the eight TripAdvisor reviews of the amphitheater near Arcugnano, in Italy’s northern Veneto region, all give fulsome, five-star praise.
    — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Both titles possess the fulsome tones of Miyazaki-style Japanese anime.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 29 June 2026
Definition of fulsome

Browse Nearby Words

adulations
adulatory
adult
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Cite this Entry

“Adulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulatory. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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