1
as in to adore
to love or admire too much
people who hero-worship celebrities are setting themselves up for disappointment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overpraise
to praise too much
a golfing pro who is hero-worshipped by hordes of weekend duffers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in worship
excessive admiration of or devotion to a person
once the object of uncritical hero worship, the aging quarterback now faces the derision of his team's fickle fans
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hero-worship
Thomas Smith, Billboard, 6 May 2025
There’s a kitschy, romantic, hero-worshipping nostalgia to the image, as if Norman Rockwell had undergone a lobotomy.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Bruins players receive their share of glory and hero worship.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Verb
In an accompanying statement, Yungblud said that the record explores the theme of hero-worship.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 6 May 2025
There’s a kitschy, romantic, hero-worshipping nostalgia to the image, as if Norman Rockwell had undergone a lobotomy.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
This is the vibe that Edgar Wright is chasing with his version of The Running Man, which hews closely to the original text with a fidelity bordering on hero worship.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
Bruins players receive their share of glory and hero worship.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hero-worship
Verb
-
Daiquiri lovers will adore this tropical twist of rum, citrus and melon juice, and fresh watermelon.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
-
This series feels like the ultimate fan-service spinoff, since Yellowstone fans seem to adore the Beth/Rip romance.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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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
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Know-nothings pretend that Schrader’s Bressonian mannerisms reveal the spiritual depths of contemporary crisis, when, in fact, Master Gardener repeats the same social-collapse paranoia that made secular reviewers overpraise the religious, racial, suicide-bomber topics of First Reformed.—
Armond White,
National Review,
24 May 2023
Noun
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That reaction spoke louder than words about how Arsenal are regarding this Champions League final as an opportunity to daub their name, in blood and sweat and set-piece worship if needs be, all over it.—
Amy Lawrence,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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The new law creates a misdemeanor criminal charge for people who interfere with access to houses of worship.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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The reason is that investors don’t seem to like the idea of fractional share ownership, so reducing the share price makes the stock feel more accessible.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
4 June 2026
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The service The staff are gentle but also fun, witty and joyful, such as Rini, who can answer almost any question on Bawah; Nintya who handles landscaping and permaculture; and the waiter Julian, who likes to practice his English accent.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Anything Oprah repeatedly praises immediately piques my interest, but even more so when her favorites are podiatrist favorites.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
30 May 2026
-
In a post on X on May 29, Shriver marked what would have been Kennedy's 109th birthday by praising the court's ruling against efforts to rename the cultural institution.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Noun
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After the meeting, Babbitt relished in the adoration of supporters who had waited nearly a decade to come to this point.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
-
New York Tendaberry, released in the fall of 1969, mostly consists of Nyro alone at the piano, delivering songs that eschewed and subverted most of the characteristics that had won her attention and adoration throughout the preceding decade.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
24 May 2026
Verb
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The first name that caught his eye was Nicklas Lidstrom, the great Detroit Red Wing, whom Werenski idolized as a boy growing up in Michigan.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
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As a child Modrić idolized the Yugoslav (later Croatian) footballer Zvonimir Boban.—
Sanat Pai Raikar,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Hurts did not change his description of their relationship when asked about it in his first news conference of the offseason and congratulated Brown on his wedding.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
-
In a brief speech after Qualls earned the endorsement, Demuth did not congratulate him.—
Jimmy Lovrien,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hero-worship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hero-worship. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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