admiration
Americannoun
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a feeling of wonder, pleasure, or approval.
- Antonyms:
- condemnation
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the act of looking on or contemplating with pleasure.
admiration of fine paintings.
-
an object of wonder, pleasure, or approval.
The dancer was the admiration of everyone.
-
Archaic. wonder; astonishment.
noun
-
pleasurable contemplation or surprise
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a person or thing that is admired
she was the admiration of the court
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archaic wonder
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of admiration
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English admiracion, from Latin admīrātiōn-, stem of admīrātiō; equivalent to admire + -ation
Explanation
Admiration is the feeling of liking and appreciating, like your admiration of your older sister. You ask her for advice and hope to be just like her when you are older. The root of the word admiration is admire, which means "to regard with wonder or approval." People can receive admiration for many reasons, including their beauty, hard work, or intelligence. Often, there is a sense of gratitude or thanks when someone feels admiration. For example, your admiration for a favorite teacher includes an awareness of how much he or she helped you.
Vocabulary lists containing admiration
What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?
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From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 21
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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.
"She craved acceptance, admiration, kindness, and - perhaps above all - love," writes Charles Spencer about Diana.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Somewhere between admiration and accounts payable, civilization falters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
Starmer had enjoyed some success in this area, working closely with Macron and winning admiration from allies.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
These are not friends who have effusively expressed admiration for the anime in the past, nor have they been collecting cards past the previously socially acceptable threshold of 13 years old.
From Slate ● Aug. 31, 2026
For the first time since I had known him I saw a spark of admiration in his eyes.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
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.
