admire
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to feel or express admiration.
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Dialect. to take pleasure; like or desire.
I would admire to go.
idioms
verb
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to regard with esteem, respect, approval, or pleased surprise
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archaic to wonder at
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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admirernoun
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preadmireverb (used with object)
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admiringadjective
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admiringlyadverb
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unadmiredadjective
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quasi-admireverb
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have admiredperfect
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has admiredperfect 3rd person singular
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has been admiringperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are admiringprogressive
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have been admiringperfect progressive
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am admiringprogressive 1st person singular
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admiressingular 3rd person
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admiringparticiple
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is admiringprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
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had admiredperfect
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had been admiringperfect progressive
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was admiringprogressive singular
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admiredsimple
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admiredparticiple
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were admiringprogressive plural
Future
Etymology
Origin of admire
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin admīrārī, equivalent to ad- ad- + mīrārī (in Medieval Latin mīrāre ) “to wonder at, admire”
Explanation
If you hold someone in high esteem or look up to someone, you admire that person. If you ask four-year-olds who they most admire, they are likely to list their mom, dad, and grandparents — or superheroes and comic book characters. The verb admire also means to look at with wonder and pleasure. She stood on the balcony of her hotel for a long time, simply to admire the view of the ocean and the surf as it crashed against the rocks below. I admire the way she volunteers to help at the school and with other charities because she is willing to give her time to good causes.
Vocabulary lists containing admire
"Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." and "I Have a Dream"
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"A Natural Balance" and "In My Dreams"
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Lyrics from "American Pie" by Don McLean
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“But you already know you can’t pet us! The fact that we are hanging out in the park doesn’t mean we are pets. Admire us from afar and leave us in peace, OK?”
From Slate • May 27, 2026
Admire how it is retesting a prior cup-with-handle breakout pivot of $110.25 from the week ending May 16, 2025, which jumped an impressive 16%.
From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026
Diane Parish, known to viewers as Denise Fox, posted: "Tough and courageously vulnerable. That makes a true warrior. Admire you more than you could know. We got you all the way!"
From BBC • May 13, 2025
Admire Zach McLean for his ability to make big plays.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2021
“You do, eh? Admire me—the guy who made us lose all that gear?”
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
