adulation
noun
ad·u·la·tion
ˌa-jə-ˈlā-shən 
-dyə,
-də-
: extreme or excessive admiration or flattery
Celebrities often feed off the adulation of fans, but that acclaim can be fleeting and illusory.—
Ruben Castenada
Ruben CastenadaDuring the campaign, he basked in the adulation of his fans and emphasized the promises that drew the biggest applause and the most retweets …—Peter Coy
Peter Coy… she thought he'd be an egomaniac, spoiled by fame and public adulation.—Maureen Callahan
Maureen Callahan… is only starting to reach the level of popular and critical adulation that bands work their entire lives to achieve …—Steve Kandell
Steve KandellHe had not fully understood his achievement until he returned home to an outpouring of adulation from local media.—David Müller
David Müller
Did you know?
If adulation makes you think of a dog panting after its beloved person, you're on the right etymological track; the word ultimately comes from the Latin verb adūlārī, meaning "to fawn on" (a sense used specifically of the affectionate behavior of dogs) or "to praise insincerely." Adulation has been in use in English since the 15th century. The verb adulate, noun adulator, and adjective adulatory later followed dutifully behind.
Examples of adulation in a Sentence
The rugby player enjoyed the adulation of his fans.
a writer who inspires adulation in her readers
Recent Examples on the Web
Holmes ascended to the pinnacle of Silicon Valley adulation by promising groundbreaking advancements in blood-testing technology.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Many fans showered Fox with adulation while others heckled him from a distance.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025
Although set a powerful example by peacefully transferring the office of the president to John Adams, Adams still had reason to worry adulation of Washington would lead others to try to concentrate and abuse power, overturning the constitutional order.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Republicans are offering him a level of adulation that would make Kim Jong Un blush.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adulation
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Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Many fans showered Fox with adulation while others heckled him from a distance.
—Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025
Although set a powerful example by peacefully transferring the office of the president to John Adams, Adams still had reason to worry adulation of Washington would lead others to try to concentrate and abuse power, overturning the constitutional order.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Republicans are offering him a level of adulation that would make Kim Jong Un blush.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adulation
Cite this Entry
“Adulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adulation. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
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