IDOLIZE Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

idolize

verb

ˈī-də-ˌlīz

Definition of idolize

as in to adore

to love or admire too much she blindly idolized her older sister, refusing to acknowledge any of her faults

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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 idolize As a child Modrić idolized the Yugoslav (later Croatian) footballer Zvonimir Boban. — Sanat Pai Raikar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 June 2026 Fans, who never had a chance to cheer Les Grenadiers on soccer’s biggest stage, have had to decide where their loyalties will lie while players who perhaps grew up idolizing the team must now convince themselves their idols can be beaten. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026 The first name that caught his eye was Nicklas Lidstrom, the great Detroit Red Wing, whom Werenski idolized as a boy growing up in Michigan. — Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 2 June 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 See All Example Sentences for idolize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for idolize

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 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

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idolizations

idolize

idolized

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

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Synonyms of idolize

verb

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