hero-worship 1 of 2

verb

ˈhir-(ˌ)ō-ˌwər-ship How to pronounce hero-worship (audio)
Definition of hero-worshipnext
1
as in to adore
to love or admire too much people who hero-worship celebrities are setting themselves up for disappointment

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overpraise
to praise too much a golfing pro who is hero-worshipped by hordes of weekend duffers

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hero worship

2 of 2

noun

as in worship
excessive admiration of or devotion to a person once the object of uncritical hero worship, the aging quarterback now faces the derision of his team's fickle fans

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 hero-worship
Verb
In an accompanying statement, Yungblud said that the record explores the theme of hero-worship. — Thomas Smith, Billboard, 6 May 2025 Machismo is another one of these elements as the doc repeatedly shows a star matador and his hero-worshipping entourage. — Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
Alan Greenspan’s long tenure as Fed chair and his helmsmanship of what was widely seen as a robust economy made for a hero worship that is hard to describe a quarter century later. — Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 This is the vibe that Edgar Wright is chasing with his version of The Running Man, which hews closely to the original text with a fidelity bordering on hero worship. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hero-worship
  1. adore
  2. overpraise
  3. worship
  4. like
  5. praise
  6. adoration
  7. idolize
  8. congratulate
Verb
  • 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
  • This French onion pasta side dish is loaded with deep, savory flavors that our recipe testers adored.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 July 2026
Definition of adore
Verb
  • The result is sometimes overpraising, overprotection, and overindulging children, mixing emotional intensity with economic privilege in ways that breed entitlement.
    — Christine Michel Carter, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • As in the case of that picture, East of Eden is backed up by masterful screen storytelling that can hardly be overpraised and is complicated by no message that can be termed controversial.
    — Jack Moffitt, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2023
Definition of overpraise
Noun
  • Historically, the Catholic Church had denied religious funerals inside its houses of worship as well as traditional burials for those who died in this way.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Nearby are the Druidical worship sites of Avebury and Stonehenge; there is a Celtic burial ground hidden in one of Ashcombe's deep, romantic coombes.
    — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026
Definition of worship
Verb
  • But Alonso also likes to offset the industrial nature of concrete with warmth.
    — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 July 2026
  • And that’s why Howard Zinn has sold 5 million copies, because teenagers sort of like to be in on something.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • Leaders from India’s ruling Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have publicly praised bhajan clubbing gatherings.
    — Ayushi Shah, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Magazine, praising Swift's ability to handle intense public scrutiny.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of praise
Noun
  • Marylanders showed their adoration by naming Montgomery County for him.
    — Sarah M.S. Pearsall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, since the Scaloni era’s unprecedented winning streak, Argentineans’ adoration of Messi has, at last, become unconditional.
    — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 27 June 2026
Definition of adoration
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
Verb
  • The State Department on Tuesday congratulated conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori after she was declared the winner of Peru’s presidential runoff election by a razor-thin margin.
    — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • In 2010, on Respect for the Aged Day, Japanese officials sought out a Tokyo man named Sogen Kato to congratulate him on living to a hundred and eleven.
    — Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Definition of congratulate

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heroizing
hero-worship
hero worship
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Cite this Entry

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

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