IDOLATRY Synonyms: 35 Similar and Opposite Words

idolatry

noun

ī-ˈdä-lə-trē

Definition of idolatry

as in worship

excessive admiration of or devotion to a person fans of the team are well known for their idolatry of the quarterback

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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 idolatry Sometimes it has been connected with Catholic nationalism; at other times it has been promoted as the opposite — as an antidote to the idolatry of the state. — ABC News, 10 June 2026 The two groups displayed a large balloon near the mall of a Trump-like golden calf, a biblical reference to idolatry. — Tiffany Stanley, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026 Leo used his homily at Mass in the Monaco stadium to do just that, urging the faithful to reject the type of idolatry that has enslaved people in cycles of war and injustice. — Arkansas Online, 29 Mar. 2026 As a cipher, the Discobolus can either represent Pollak’s humanistic ethos of a cosmopolitan society or the idolatries of Hitler’s blood-and-soil fascism. — Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for idolatry

Recent Examples of Synonyms for idolatry

Noun

The defense told jurors prosecutors are relying on the salacious affair to prove its case, arguing the decision to charge the former worship leader stemmed from a flawed investigation, rush to judgment and lack of direct evidence.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
The 14 participating houses of worship span from Miami Shores to West Perrine and include a variety of denominations including Episcopal churches, United Methodist churches, one mosque and a handful of other Christian churches.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of worship

Noun

And yet, when Szumowska and Englert portray Fyodor’s reaction to the couple’s pregnancy, the birth of their child, and a subsequent tragedy, Anna’s adoration for this utterly flawed man almost feels justified.

— Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
So, too, do the antics of his estate manager (a buoyant Sam Adegoke), always concocting money-making schemes, and the wide-eyed adoration of the girl next door (Amelia Mason, deftly balancing naïveté with seductiveness), who wants to save him.

— Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of adoration

Noun

With wide sidewalks and a friendly park sandwiched in the middle, this is the city’s best stroll for window shopping, people watching, and sun worshiping.

— Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026
By the nail holes above and beside the worshiping altar, the household hung garlands.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026

Definition of worshipping

Browse Nearby Words

idolatries

idolatry

idolization

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“Idolatry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idolatry. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of idolatry

noun

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