admire

1 of 2

verb

ad·​mire əd-ˈmī(-ə)r How to pronounce admire (audio)
admired; admiring
Synonyms of admire

transitive verb

1
: to feel respect and approval for (someone or something) : to regard with admiration
They all admired her courage.
2
archaic : to marvel at

intransitive verb

dialect : to like very much
… I would admire to know why not …—A. H. Lewis
admirer noun

admirer

2 of 2

noun

ad·​mir·​er
əd-ˈmī-rər also ad-
plural -s
: one that admires
an admirer of the president
among the admirers of his preaching
specifically : lover, beau
one of the young lady's admirers

Synonyms of admire

Relevance

Verb

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Choose the Right Synonym for admire

regard, respect, esteem, admire mean to recognize the worth of a person or thing.

regard is a general term that is usually qualified.

he is highly regarded in the profession

respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation.

after many years they came to respect her views

esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation.

no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed

admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection.

a friend that I truly admire

Examples of admire in a Sentence

Verb We gazed out the window and admired the scenery. I admire the way you handled such a touchy situation.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
Babies can lie on their backs and reach for rings and toys, plus admire their adorable little mugs in the mirror. — Melissa Willets, Parents, 1 July 2026 Still, most homeowners would prefer to admire them from the yard rather than the attic. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 30 June 2026 Thomas seems to admire the early alpine first ascenders, at least online. — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Among the photos were ones of the supermodel admiring the view outside her hospital window and one with tubes taped to her neck and head. — Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for admire

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Middle French admirer, Latinization of amirer "to make (little or much) of," borrowed from Latin admīrārī, ammīrārī "to regard with wonder, show esteem for," from ad- ad- + mīrārī "to be surprised, look with wonder at," derivative of mīrus, "remarkable, amazing," of uncertain origin

Note: Regarding etymology of Latin mīrus see note at smile entry 1.

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun

1571, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of admire was in the 15th century

Rhymes for admire

See All Rhymes for admire

Browse Nearby Words

admirative
admire
admirer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Admire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/admire. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

admire

verb
ad·​mire əd-ˈmī(ə)r How to pronounce admire (audio)
admired; admiring
1
: to look at with admiration
admire the scenery
2
: to have high regard for
admired her courage
admirer
-ˈmīr-ər
noun
Etymology

Verb

from early French admirer "to marvel at," from Latin admirari (same meaning), from ad- "at" and mirari "to wonder" — related to miracle

More from Merriam-Webster on admire

Nglish: Translation of admire for Spanish Speakers

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