as in adored
to love or admire too much
she blindly idolized her older sister, refusing to acknowledge any of her faults
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Recent Examples of idolized
At Junya Watanabe, models walked with a sense of performance rarely seen today except in old videos of couture shows from the 1990s, wearing gowns assembled of athletic equipment and tacky leopard and faux fur fabrics of the kind idolized by Limited Too shoppers.
—
Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
And typical of young Wild fans of the late 2000s, the 6-year old Brink idolized Marian Gaborik, scoring goals and winning games while wearing jersey number 10 in Minnesota.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
The final image of Friday’s game was an embrace between Flagg and Tatum, who Flagg idolized as a kid.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
Then a Chicago Tribune reporter, Reynolds had idolized Jackson.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Rafaela, who began his professional career as a middle infielder in the Red Sox minor leagues, idolized him.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 18 Feb. 2026
Olympians – athletes at the top of their sport and in prime health – are idolized and often viewed as superhuman.
—Emily Hemendinger, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026
Carter's younger brother idolized him.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 13 Feb. 2026
While Spielberg and Van Der Beek never officially worked together on a film or television project, the actor’s character in Dawson’s Creek idolized the director as his filmmaking hero, with Dawson’s bedroom featuring several Spielberg movie posters.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 12 Feb. 2026
Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
And typical of young Wild fans of the late 2000s, the 6-year old Brink idolized Marian Gaborik, scoring goals and winning games while wearing jersey number 10 in Minnesota.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 8 Mar. 2026
The final image of Friday’s game was an embrace between Flagg and Tatum, who Flagg idolized as a kid.
—Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 6 Mar. 2026
Then a Chicago Tribune reporter, Reynolds had idolized Jackson.
—Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Rafaela, who began his professional career as a middle infielder in the Red Sox minor leagues, idolized him.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 18 Feb. 2026
Olympians – athletes at the top of their sport and in prime health – are idolized and often viewed as superhuman.
—Emily Hemendinger, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026
Carter's younger brother idolized him.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 13 Feb. 2026
While Spielberg and Van Der Beek never officially worked together on a film or television project, the actor’s character in Dawson’s Creek idolized the director as his filmmaking hero, with Dawson’s bedroom featuring several Spielberg movie posters.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 12 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idolized
Verb
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Throughout the documentary, which features talking head commentary, copious archival footage (even as kids, Mayeri and Hall adored recording their antics on home video), and new interviews, the X-Cetra gals speak openly and honestly about their friendships and the early years that fostered them.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
17 Mar. 2026
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The Verdict On Abe Lincoln’s Favorite Cake Although Abe adored this dessert during his lifetime, it is said to have become even more closely tied to the Lincoln family after his assassination.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Clint, who worshipped his dad, was his sidekick on those travels in a Volkswagen van retrofitted to make room for a couple of horses.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Mar. 2026
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At Karmel Mall’s prayer hall, where hundreds worshiped daily, congregations were less than half their usual size, Sabri said.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idolized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idolized. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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