idolize

verb

idol·​ize ˈī-də-ˌlīz How to pronounce idolize (audio)
idolized; idolizing

transitive verb

: to worship as a god
broadly : to love or admire to excess
the common people whom he so idolized The Times Literary Supplement (London)

intransitive verb

: to practice idolatry
idolization noun
idolizer noun

Examples of idolize in a Sentence

an actor who is idolized by millions she blindly idolized her older sister, refusing to acknowledge any of her faults
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In an environment that more closely resembles a post-apocalyptic wasteland than a functioning metropolis, 11-year-old Hamoudi (Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah) lives for soccer and idolizes Lionel Messi, the Argentine genius then playing for Spanish giants Barcelona FC. Richard Kuipers, Variety, 10 Dec. 2024 The moment was special for the current Yankees shortstop who idolized Jeter as a kid. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024 The bank robber and murderer Charles Arthur (Pretty Boy) Floyd, whose crimes spanned Ohio, Oklahoma, and Missouri during the Great Depression, idolized James as a Wild West spin on Robin Hood. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2024 The monarch butterfly, long idolized for its epic migrations and delicate beauty, is facing another alarming chapter in its decline. Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for idolize 

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of idolize was in 1605

Dictionary Entries Near idolize

Cite this Entry

“Idolize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/idolize. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

idolize

verb
idol·​ize ˈīd-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce idolize (audio)
idolized; idolizing
: to worship as an idol : love or admire too much
idolization
ˌīd-ᵊl-ə-ˈzā-shən
noun
idolizer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on idolize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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