as in heroes
a person who is the object of extreme or uncritical devotion
a movie star whose portrayal of a comic book superhero in a blockbuster series has made him the idol of millions
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of idols
Expect to see surgeonfish, blue tang, moorish idols, plus whale shark and manta rays in the May-September rainy season.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
No wonder Trump, who wants to erect idols to himself like a Canaanite king, is so upset.
—Gustavo Arellano, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Yet when the lights come up and the idols of her youth begin to sing, something is unlocked.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
No wonder Trump, who wants to erect idols to himself like a Canaanite king, is so upset.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Pressley became a performance chef after shedding 200lbs himself and entering a cooking competition show for amateurs, judged by one of his idols, Gordon Ramsay.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The show features a performance by young women dressed as the HUNTR/X idols, courtesy of Royal Entertainers, a San Diego business that provides costumed characters for parties.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
For the first time ever on Survivor, a contestant found two idols, then got to keep neither.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
The team harbored a zany obsession over nicknaming one another for heavy-metal stars and other teen music idols.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
No wonder Trump, who wants to erect idols to himself like a Canaanite king, is so upset.
—Gustavo Arellano, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2026
Yet when the lights come up and the idols of her youth begin to sing, something is unlocked.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
No wonder Trump, who wants to erect idols to himself like a Canaanite king, is so upset.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Pressley became a performance chef after shedding 200lbs himself and entering a cooking competition show for amateurs, judged by one of his idols, Gordon Ramsay.
—Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The show features a performance by young women dressed as the HUNTR/X idols, courtesy of Royal Entertainers, a San Diego business that provides costumed characters for parties.
—Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
For the first time ever on Survivor, a contestant found two idols, then got to keep neither.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
The team harbored a zany obsession over nicknaming one another for heavy-metal stars and other teen music idols.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idols
Noun
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Consider visiting one of those memorials or attending one of the many ceremonies that are held in April and May to remember and honor those heroes.—
Kenneth D. Robinson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
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There are heroes in schools who don’t show up in assemblies, whose pictures don’t make it to the Wall of Fame in the front office, and they rarely get mentioned in speeches.—
Mark Glende,
Twin Cities,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Talked to some of the higher gods above, give them my thanks and just take a few breaths and get ready for the arena.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
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God of War Ragnarok delivers more of the same as Kratos and his son Atreus face fend off more Norse gods as the end of days approaches.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idols.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idols. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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