Adore — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ə-ˈdȯr/

Meaning & Definition of Adore

Adore (verb)

  1. to worship or honor as a deity or as divine
  2. to regard with loving admiration and devotion
  3. to be very fond of

Adore (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for

    "an attentive, solicitous husband who clearly adores his wife"

    similar: cherish, love, worship, carry a torch (for), fall for, lose one's heart (to)
    related: adulate, canonize, deify, idealize, idolize, revere, reverence, venerate, delight (in), dote (on)
    opposite: abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe
    near: antagonize, displease, disapprove (of), disfavor, dislike, disgust, nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, turn off

  2. to love or admire too much

    "adores her older sister so much that she cannot see her considerable faults"

    similar: adulate, canonize, deify, dote (on), hero-worship, idolize, worship
    related: appreciate, cherish, esteem, prize, treasure, value, fancy, favor, like, prefer, regard, hallow, respect, revere, venerate, approve, endorse, support
    near: abhor, abominate, despise, detest, disdain, dislike, hate, loathe, belittle, deprecate, disparage, misprize, put down

  3. to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power

    "the Roman soldier was beheaded for adoring the Christian god"

    similar: deify, glorify, revere, reverence, venerate, worship
    related: admire, honor, love, regard, respect, apotheosize, canonize, dignify, exalt, lionize, magnify, extol, laud, praise, delight, gratify, please, satisfy
    near: blaspheme, desecrate, profane, violate, affront, dishonor, disrespect, insult, offend, outrage, pique, ridicule, scorn, slight, displease, defame, disparage, libel, malign, slander, slur, smear

  4. to take pleasure in

    "I adore those earrings—wherever did you get them?"

    similar: delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, love, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in), savor, be partial to, get a kick out of, go for, have a soft spot for, take to
    related: admire, appreciate, cherish, revere, venerate, worship, prize, treasure, value, devour, drink (in), eat (up), feast (on), dote (on), idolize, cotton (to), favor, prefer, indulge (in), luxuriate (in), wallow (in)
    near: abhor, abominate, detest, dislike, hate, loathe, condemn, despise, scorn

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Adore

The most common words with a similar meaning to Adore:

cherish, love, worship, adulate, canonize, deify, dote (on), hero-worship, idolize, glorify, revere, reverence, venerate, delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, get off (on), groove (on), like, rejoice (in), relish, revel (in), savor, carry a torch (for), fall for, lose one's heart (to), be partial to, get a kick out of, go for, have a soft spot for, take to

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Adore

Words with the opposite meaning of Adore:

abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate, loathe

Related Words for Adore

idealize, appreciate, esteem, prize, treasure, value, favor, prefer, regard, hallow, respect, approve, endorse, support, admire, honor, apotheosize, dignify, exalt, lionize, magnify, extol, laud, praise, delight, gratify, please, satisfy, devour, drink (in)

Near Antonyms of Adore

antagonize, displease, disapprove (of), disfavor, dislike, disgust, nauseate, repel, repulse, revolt, sicken, turn off, disdain, belittle, deprecate, disparage, misprize, put down, blaspheme, desecrate, profane, violate, affront, dishonor, disrespect, insult, offend, outrage, pique, ridicule

Word Forms of Adore

Inflections: adored, adoring

Derived words: adorer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Adore

Middle English aouren, adouren, borrowed from Anglo-French aurer, ahourer, adourer (with d restored from Latin), going back to Latin adōrāre "to plead with, appeal to, approach (a god) as a suppliant or worshipper, treat with reverence, admire," from ad- ad- + ōrāre "to pray to, beseech" oration

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Adore

What does "Adore" mean?

"Adore" means to worship or honor as a deity or as divine. As a verb, it is defined as: to worship or honor as a deity or as divine. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Adore"?

Other words for "Adore" include cherish, love, worship, adulate, canonize, deify, dote (on) and hero-worship. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Adore" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Adore"?

There are 68 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Adore". Common alternatives include cherish, love, worship, adulate, canonize, deify, dote (on), hero-worship, idolize and glorify.

What is the opposite of "Adore"?

Antonyms of "Adore" include abhor, abominate, despise, detest, execrate, hate and loathe. Near antonyms include antagonize, displease, disapprove (of) and disfavor.

How do you use "Adore" in a sentence?

Examples of "Adore" in a sentence: "an attentive, solicitous husband who clearly adores his wife"; "adores her older sister so much that she cannot see her considerable faults"; "the Roman soldier was beheaded for adoring the Christian god".

Is "Adore" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Adore" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Adore"?

"Adore" is pronounced /ə-ˈdȯr/.

What is the origin of the word "Adore"?

"Adore" comes from Middle English aouren, adouren, borrowed from Anglo-French aurer, ahourer, adourer (with d restored from Latin), going back to Latin adōrāre "to plead with, appeal to, approach (a god) as a suppliant or worshipper, treat with reverence, admire," from ad- ad- + ōrāre "to pray to, beseech" oration. First known use: 14th century.