mutual admiration society

Idioms  

1. A relationship in which two people have strong feelings of esteem for each other and often exchange lavish compliments. The term may signify either genuine or pretended admiration, as in Each of them praised the other's book—it was a real mutual admiration society. The expression was invented by Henry David Thoreau in his journal (1851) and repeated by Oliver Wendell Holmes and others.

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Example Sentences

So there’s obviously been a mutual admiration society there.

From Seattle Times

Seattle’s two starting quarterbacks — Geno Smith and UW’s Michael Penix Jr. — got to know each other through a few workouts this offseason, forming a mutual admiration society.

From Seattle Times

Instead, as Smith and McAdoo met the media in their respective cities Thursday, they gave off the vibe of a mutual admiration society.

From Seattle Times

Nowhere was that more true than in the three movies he made for Stanley Kubrick, with whom he formed something of a mutual admiration society.

From New York Times

There is something of a mutual admiration society for N.B.A. defenders.

From New York Times