ADORE Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'adore' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of adore are reverence , revere , venerate , and worship . While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment. // we adored our doctor

Q: When could 'revere' be used to replace 'adore'?

The words revere and adore can be used in similar contexts, but revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling. // a professor revered by her students

Q: When can 'reverence' be used instead of 'adore'?

While in some cases nearly identical to adore , reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring. // reverenced the academy's code of honor

Q: When would 'venerate' be a good substitute for 'adore'?

The meanings of venerate and adore largely overlap; however, venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age. // heroes still venerated

Q: When is 'worship' a more appropriate choice than 'adore'?

In some situations, the words worship and adore are roughly equivalent. However, worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony. // worships their memory

adore

verb

ə-ˈdȯr

Definition of adore

as in to love

to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for an attentive, solicitous husband who clearly adores his wife

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to like

to love or admire too much adores her older sister so much that she cannot see her considerable faults

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to venerate

to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power the Roman soldier was beheaded for adoring the Christian god

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to enjoy

to take pleasure in I adore those earrings—wherever did you get them?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb adore differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of adore are reverence, revere, venerate, and worship. While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment.

we adored our doctor

When could revere be used to replace adore?

The words revere and adore can be used in similar contexts, but revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling.

a professor revered by her students

When can reverence be used instead of adore?

While in some cases nearly identical to adore, reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring.

reverenced the academy's code of honor

When would venerate be a good substitute for adore?

The meanings of venerate and adore largely overlap; however, venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age.

heroes still venerated

When is worship a more appropriate choice than adore?

In some situations, the words worship and adore are roughly equivalent. However, worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony.

worships their memory

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 adore Zinnias One flower type all of our gardening experts adore are the colorful and vibrant zinnias (Zinnia elegans). — The Spruce, 28 June 2026 What followed were 120 goals and three La Liga titles for the Pole, who leaves the Blaugrana as a modern day club legend adored by Culers. — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Next, Lily and Ryle (Justin Baldoni) enjoy a romantic date night of karaoke, exchanging adoring looks and dancing before cutting to Lily looking up at her old flame, Atlas. — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 4 July 2026 Situated in an elegant French neoclassical building in Barcelona’s Eixample district, the hotel puts you just footsteps away from luxury shopping, restaurants adored by locals, and masterpieces by Gaudí and other Spanish architects. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for adore

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adore

Verb

Batters love to hit in Sacramento The Dodgers had dominated the A’s in the previous two games, scoring nine runs in both for victories of 9-4 and 9-3, respectively.

— Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Brushed with honey mustard and topped with ham, Gruyère cheese, and béchamel sauce, guests will love these buttery mini sandwiches.

— Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Definition of love

Verb

The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a monastery with emblematic golden domes, is venerated by both the Russian and Ukrainian wings of the Orthodox Church as one of their most important spiritual centers.

— CBS News, CBS News, 15 June 2026
Olivier was venerated as a Shakespearean actor, playing many iconic protagonists in London including Hamlet, Henry V, Macbeth and, controversially, Othello.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 June 2026

Definition of venerate

Verb

Defense stocks have enjoyed a bumper year in 2026, as conflicts from Ukraine to Iran increase demand for munitions worldwide.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 6 July 2026
With estimated sales totaling €32 billion and a growth rate between 4-6% for 2025, jewelry seems to be enjoying its brightest summer yet.

— Milena Martins-Alexandre, Vogue, 6 July 2026

Definition of enjoy

Verb

The Zion Church is among the largest churches that are unregistered with the Chinese authorities, defying restrictions from the officially atheist Communist Party requiring believers to worship only in registered congregations.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
So people are looking to online forums to find that guidance, and to find those people to worship, in a way.

— Kate Aurthur, Variety, 26 June 2026

Definition of worship

Verb

Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reviled by some and revered by others, is set to be laid to rest after a sprawling multiday funeral ceremony planned as both a religious and a political spectacle.

— Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Unlike many coming-of-age series, Eva (played by June Diane Raphael) is revered by her daughter.

— Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 3 July 2026

Definition of revere

Verb

Visitors can explore experimental cellars like Alpha Box & Dice, enjoy live music at Down The Rabbit Hole, or savor traditional elegance at Fox Creek.

— Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Enjoy an English toasty or a Florentine house quiche for breakfast and return for lunch to savor Celtic specialties like Scotch eggs or an Irish rarebit.

— Korrin Bishop, Southern Living, 1 July 2026

Definition of savor

Verb

McGonigle grew up in Aldan idolizing Phillies legend Chase Utley.

— Joe Holden, CBS News, 1 July 2026
There’s friction between the defense lawyer Sam (Nick Nolte) and his wife, Leigh (Jessica Lange), rooted in Sam’s past infidelity and his current flirtations with a young courthouse clerk who idolizes him.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 26 June 2026

Definition of idolize

Browse Nearby Words

adorations

adore

adored

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Adore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adore. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of adore

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on adore

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes