adore

American  

[uh-dawr, uh-dohr] / əˈdɔr, əˈdoʊr /

verb (used with object)

adored, adoring

1. to regard with the utmost esteem, love, and respect; honor.

   Synonyms:

   venerate, revere, reverence, idolize

   Antonyms:

   abhor

2. to pay divine honor to; worship.

   to adore God.

3. to like or admire very much.

   I simply adore the way your hair is done!

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verb (used without object)

adored, adoring

1. to worship.

adore British  

/ əˈdɔː /

verb

1. (tr) to love intensely or deeply

2. to worship (a god) with religious rites

3. informal (tr) to like very much

   I adore chocolate

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Other Word Forms

• adorer noun
• adoring adjective
• adoringly adverb
• unadored adjective
• unadoring adjective
• unadoringly adverb

Etymology

Origin of adore

First recorded in 1275–1325; from Latin adōrāre “to speak to, pray, worship,” from ad- ad- + ōrāre “to beg, plead, speak” ( oration ); replacing Middle English aour(i)e, from Old French aourer, from Latin

Explanation

Someone you adore gets put on a pedestal. Considering your fear of germs, when you told me that you had shared a toothbrush — I knew you must adore her! Adore comes from the Latin word adorare, meaning “to worship.” So when you adore someone, it's more than just a crush. However, like many words of strong emotion, adore gets used in lighter situations as well. Your aunt tells me you just adore the miniature fruitcakes she sends you every holiday.

Example Sentences

What’s more, there are countless small yet memorable visual and narrative details to adore — things that, at first sight, look like bizarre directorial choices, but ultimately operate in the service of this gonzo story.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

This group fits into a long line of U.K. artists, including Amy Winehouse and Adele before them, who clearly adore old American soul records.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

“Our structure gives us lots of liberty. We can work on odd subjects and films that we adore, ones we really believe can find an audience.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

"I think flowers are cool, because this is a small celebration or something just to show how how much you really adore this person," he says.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

“You mean Richard Krupp? I don’t like Richard because he’s an arrogant jerk. But he is the top-rated anchor in Saint Pete. The viewers adore him. And he hates me.”

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

Related Words

• admire
• cherish
• delight in
• fall for
• idolize
• revere
• worship