idolization

noun

Definition of idolizationnext
as in worship
excessive admiration of or devotion to a person the mass idolization of the Renaissance artist continues to this day

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 idolization The idolization of Steve Spurrier, dating a UF alum and understanding of Florida recruiting after a stint at FAU rang seemed to work in his favor. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 30 Nov. 2025 But even more clear to me this go-around was that Bella's idolization of Edward comes from a horrifyingly insecure place. — USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025 Her idolization has made her Mexico’s unofficial national totem, perhaps second only to the Virgin of Guadalupe. — Mathew Sandoval, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idolization
  1. worship
  2. adoration
  3. idolatry
  4. worshipping
  5. adulation
  6. deification
Noun
  • But Pitre’s interpretation of the towering British producer’s aesthetic never feels like blind worship.
    — Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026
  • Nearly 240 feet high, the tower of Hallgrímskirkja Church is visible throughout the city; this Lutheran house of worship is Reykjavik’s tallest structure.
    — Carolyn Heller, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of worship
Noun
  • Yet the subject of this adoration made absolutely sure nobody was short-changed.
    — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Part of that adoration comes from a high level of public awareness about wildlife and conservation in Tasmania, home to many endemic species found nowhere else in the world.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of adoration
Noun
  • But this facial gallery closed with the Western Roman Empire and the rise of Christianity, which inherited a suspicion of idolatry from the Old Testament and Judaism.
    — Cal Revely-Calder, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • The usual claims of occult idolatry, the sensitivity of children’s virgin eyes, and the fear of nurturing serial killers were at the heart of the debates, which had some comparing Schwartz to Jeffrey Dahmer and were only further accelerated by the intense graphics of illustrator Stephen Gammell.
    — SPIN Team, SPIN, 22 June 2026
Definition of idolatry
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
Noun
  • The adulation was directed at Harvey Levin, the co-creator and editor of the tabloid news organization.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 22 July 2026
  • The people standing included A-list Hollywood stars and world leaders, all giving the Prince and Princess of Wales a very public show of respect and adulation.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
Definition of adulation
Noun
  • After employees railed against Kirk’s deification by the right, his deifiers organized retribution against the employees and their employers.
    — Jerel Ezell, Mercury News, 6 May 2026
  • The deification and worship of Japanese war criminals responsible for some of the Japanese Empire’s worst crimes in Korea and China has long been a source of rancor in the region.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of deification

Browse Nearby Words

idolatry
idolization
idolizations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Idolization.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idolization. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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