adulation

noun

ˌa-jə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce adulation (audio)
Definition of adulationnext
1
as in adoration
excessive admiration of or devotion to a person the pathetic adulation of the leader of the cult by her misguided followers

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2
as in praise
excessive praise more objective critics have observed that the artist never deserved the adulation heaped upon her mediocre paintings

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of adulation Each member derives her own realizations from this experience, with its dual crucibles of grindingly hard work and pop adulation. — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 25 June 2026 Trump seemed to enjoy the adulation. — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 15 June 2026 In a way that no championship trophy ever could, Kirby Smart has an opportunity to take action that would bring him undying respect and adulation. — Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 28 May 2026 At Cannes, as with other festivals, the length of standing ovations is carefully tracked, and Gray jokingly tried to urge the audience to keep the adulation going, pointing to his watch. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for adulation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulation
  1. adoration
  2. praise
  3. worship
  4. acclaim
  5. worshipping
  6. flattery
Noun
  • Sabrina is no Dolly, which isn’t a knock but a comment on the impossibility of any new artist ever enjoying the level of admiration and adoration that Parton did for most of her life.
    — David Kamp, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
  • So Big Part of what made Dolly exceptional was her broad appeal and universal adoration.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of adoration
Noun
  • There has been widespread praise about the upward arc of Thieneman’s growth.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit says the decision was unlawful, unsupported by facts and inconsistent with the military’s past praise of Claude.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of praise
Noun
  • Thus polytheistic worship of deities and monist philosophy are not opposed but rather different ways of reaching the divine.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Still, a moment for a little Dolly-worship seems somehow appropriate.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of worship
Noun
  • For modern audiences, this scene likely evokes the imaginative world of Toy Story, the long-running film franchise about the secret lives of children’s toys, which launched to great acclaim in 1995 and recently released its fifth installment.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Kusama represented Japan at the 1993 Venice Biennale, becoming the first female artist to solely represent Japan at the event, and the accumulation of her work was met with acclaim.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of acclaim
Noun
  • With wide sidewalks and a friendly park sandwiched in the middle, this is the city’s best stroll for window shopping, people watching, and sun worshiping.
    — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026
  • By the nail holes above and beside the worshiping altar, the household hung garlands.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of worshipping
Noun
  • Told that imitation is the highest form of flattery, Steele guffaws.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Scam Buster is a bot that will reply to scammers in your inbox, placating them with the same social engineering tactics that scammers use, such as impersonation, flattery, and urgent messaging.
    — Kim Key, PC Magazine, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of flattery

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Cite this Entry

“Adulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulation. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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