Synonyms

idolize

American

[ahyd-l-ahyz] / ˈaɪd lˌaɪz /

especially British, idolise

verb (used with object)

to regard with blind adoration, devotion, etc.

Synonyms:

worship, treasure, adore
to worship as a god.

verb (used without object)

to practice idolatry.

to idolize as did ancient Greece and Rome.

idolize British

/ ˈaɪdəˌlaɪz /

verb

(tr) to admire or revere greatly
(tr) to worship as an idol
(intr) to worship idols

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does idolize mean? To idolize someone is to treat them with extreme admiration and devotion. This sense of the word is based on the figurative use of the word idol to refer to a person, especially a famous celebrity such as a pop singer, whose fans are extremely devoted to them. The noun form idolization refers to this kind of hero worship. A synonym of this sense of idolize is the slang verb stan. The words idol and idolize sometimes imply that such devotion is excessive, likening it to religious worship. This is based on the original sense of the word idol referring to an object or image, such as a statue, that is worshiped as the representation of a deity or god. The word idol can also refer to the deity or god that is being worshiped. The worship of such an idol is sometimes called idolatry (or idol worship) and the people who do it can be called idolaters. The word idolize can also mean to practice idolatry, though it is much more commonly used in a figurative way. A synonym of this sense of idolize is idolatrize, but it is not commonly used. In a religious context, words like idol and idolize are typically used in a negative, judgmental way, implying that the god that the idol represents is not actually real and that such worship is wrong or sinful. Sometimes, idol is used in a metaphorical way to compare something to an object of religious devotion and worship, and idolize can also be used in this context, as in She idolizes money. This sense of the word is also used in a critical way. A close synonym of all senses of the word idolize is worship. Example: The trouble with idolizing people is that you start to model your behavior on them while ignoring their faults.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of idolize

First recorded in 1590–1600; idol + -ize

Explanation

To idolize is to admire someone too much. A twelve year-old might idolize a pop star, for example, wallpapering her bedroom with photos of him and screaming loudly throughout his concerts. You can idolize someone you've never met, like a famous actor, and you can also idolize a friend or family member. A boy who idolizes his father adores him unquestioningly, believing that everything he does is admirable. Another way to say idolize is worship, and both words have a religious origin. In the case of idolize, the root word is idol, or "image of a god used in worship," from the Late Latin word idolum, "image or form."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing idolize

The Outsiders

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

"A Village After Dark" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Novel Study: The Outsiders, Chapters 6–12

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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.

See Examples For:

idolize idolizes idolized idolizing

My mother and I identify with each other and idolize each other.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2024

It’s not unusual for Americans to idolize presidents—Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama are still actively revered by many—but no other president has inspired the same level of merchandise lines or themed car flags.

From Slate ● Nov. 27, 2023

Not being able to live the idealized versions of herself—which include visions of being surrounded by friends and fans who love and idolize her for her beauty and talent—leaves Tessa profoundly distressed.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 16, 2023

However, Julie believes that sometimes in the people fans idolize, they see something they aspire to be, which can be a positive.

From Salon ● May 29, 2023

“It’s time you learned, Eugenia, how things really are. You idolize Constantine too much. You always have.”

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Based partly on Flynn and executive produced by Mel Brooks, it’s an affectionate portrait of an over-the-hill rogue told from the point of view of a young Jewish comedy writer who idolizes him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

His cross-country supremacy has made him one of the most famous and beloved athletes in a country that idolizes the stars of winter sports.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026

When he debuts his new release at a theater in quaint Carverville, the town that idolizes him, it unleashes a supernatural force that turns Carvervillians into zombies.

From New York Times ● Dec. 8, 2023

An instinctively low-tax, small state politician who idolizes former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, he nonetheless forked out billions in government money to keep people and businesses afloat during the pandemic.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 24, 2022

“It’s actually pathetic,” said Laura, as we sat sipping our coffee after the meal, “to see how he idolizes that child.”

From Dr. Sevier by George Washington Cable

However, Matthew is busy trying, and failing, to write a speech for a ceremony honoring his idolized late father, Big Mac.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026

To this day, he remembers getting autographs from players he idolized such as Colin Montgomerie and Retief Goosen.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

John Lennon, in particular, idolized Dylan, whose performance style resonates across such early Beatles tracks as “I’m a Loser” and “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away.”

From Salon ● Apr. 17, 2026

In place of the populars, Day said she began measuring herself against her favorite electronic artists, whose style of performance she idolized but felt she could never approximate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2026

“I know. My dad played the field. Once he and my mom split up, I lived with him. He was always ‘the man’ and I idolized him.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

That has helped shift the landscape of the “collector” scene beyond the baby boomers to what Gen Xers and millennials grew up idolizing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

That was before he stood on a balcony in Wales, 15 years ago, and looked below to a mass of idolizing golf fans, begging to be sprayed with champagne.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2025

But that hasn’t stopped South Korean baseball fans from idolizing a fellow East Asian player whose achievements are so rare they nearly defy imagination.

From New York Times ● Mar. 19, 2024

Some negative response is to be expected given the zealous idolizing of the first "True Detective" season starring McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2024

Siobhan’s father loved tennis, but he grew up idolizing a team in another sport.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023