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
Relevance
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
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 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
Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Apatow’s descriptions of these early interviews are laced with self-deprecation and hero worship.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 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
The state media and government representatives push militarism and self-sacrifice; school curricula endlessly celebrate Russian war victories; theaters obediently stage works of communist-era patriotic authors; and cities display army recruitment banners and hero worship posters.
—Nina Khrushcheva, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Apatow’s descriptions of these early interviews are laced with self-deprecation and hero worship.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hero-worship
Verb
-
Additional fun kid-friendly options include a ramen-making class at nearby Musoshin and traditional kimono dressing and hair styling, which my dress-up loving daughter adored, paired with a lively rickshaw ride.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Coco adores people, greeting them with little chirps and melting with affection.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
The House and Senate recently passed a bill (HB 95/SB 52) that would exempt volunteers who provide armed security services at churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship from the required Class D and G licenses held by professional security services.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Housed in the former Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Fillmore Street in the city's Western Addition, the venue has transformed a once-traditional place of worship into a vibrant community hub centered around music, movement and connection.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
People who like luscious heritage hotels packed to the rafters with stories.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Those who like combative, left-leaning leaders might cast their votes for one of these two Washington vets.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bill Plaschke spoke a quiet and perhaps unintended truth in his column praising the competitiveness of the World Baseball Classic.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Both took time out from their preparations at Viejas Arena to praise each other.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Although there was merch for sale, including T-shirts and vinyl copies of A Good Night in the Ghetto, the complimentary keepsake was just one example of the mutual adoration shared between the performer and her supporters.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
18 Mar. 2026
-
In the first act, a love potion instantly transforms contempt into adoration.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
McGonigle grew up idolizing Phillies legend Chase Utley, who is going into the club's Wall of Fame in August.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Bonzagni, who grew up a Rangers fan and idolized outfielders David Murphy, Craig Gentry and Josh Hamilton, didn’t make Carroll’s varsity team in any of his first three high school seasons.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Buffett is known to personally congratulate the winners.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
23 Mar. 2026
-
That 8-2 aggregate defeat by Paris Saint-Germain should be a wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee moment for those owners and executives who have spent the past few years congratulating themselves on a recruitment strategy that increasingly has the look of a social experiment.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hero-worship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hero-worship. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
