adoration
Americannoun
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the act of paying honor, as to a divine being; worship.
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reverent homage.
-
fervent and devoted love.
noun
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deep love or esteem
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the act of worshipping
Etymology
Origin of adoration
1535–45; < Latin adōrātiōn- (stem of adōrātiō ) worship. See adore, -ation
Explanation
Adoration is a feeling of deep love. Some people may say animals don't have emotions, but you know from the adoration in your dog's eyes that it's just not true. The noun adoration comes from the Latin word adorationem, which means "worship," particularly in a religious way. Adoration is still used today in a religious context, in phrases like "the adoration of God." If you adore or deeply love someone, you can describe that feeling as adoration. It's the kind of feeling Romeo had for Juliet, devoted fans have for a pop star, and you have for your beloved cat.
Vocabulary lists containing adoration
Dubliners
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"The Picture of Dorian Gray," Vocabulary from Chapters 5-8
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Camp Panda
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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.
Although the hostility between the two brothers was the stuff of rock ’n’ roll legend, the movie suggests that arenas full of adoration ultimately softened both men.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
This is a country where adoration of the national team is so fervent that many fans build their financial planning around the World Cup, taking out loans to buy tickets every four years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
He’s not a filmmaker given to false modesty, but how long can you bask in that kind of adoration?
From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026
And Lady Gaga, Mother Monster though she is, has spent her short but promising acting career channeling grandma, which I mean with the utmost respect and adoration.
From Salon ● May 10, 2026
He smiled up with a kind of doggily expectant adoration into the faces of his passengers.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
