admiration
Americannoun
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a feeling of wonder, pleasure, or approval.
- Antonyms:
- condemnation
-
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.
Thyme and honey belong to a mutual admiration society, as do berries and buttermilk; the woodiness of the herb plays beautifully against tangy yogurt, while orange zest somehow charms the entire table.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
In a recent Times story, Pfeiffer discussed her admiration for her “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” character: ”I feel like I’ve been waiting to play Shyanne my whole life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
ISTANBUL—President Trump doesn’t do much to hide his admiration for Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
Wood’s admiration for Elon Musk’s companies is no secret and when his SpaceX company went to market last week her ARK funds had a big selloff, including some of its Tesla position.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
"We have expressed our thanks to you many times. And you have our admiration too. But George, you will now have to master another great job. You must become an actor."
From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple
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.
