admire

verb

ad·​mire əd-ˈmī(-ə)r 

admired; admiring

transitive verb

1

: to feel respect and approval for (someone or something) : to regard with admiration

They all admired her courage.

2

archaic : to marvel at

intransitive verb

dialect : to like very much

… I would admire to know why not …

—A. H. Lewis

admirer noun

Synonyms

• appreciate
• consider
• esteem
• regard
• respect

Choose the Right Synonym for admire

regard, respect, esteem, admire mean to recognize the worth of a person or thing.

regard is a general term that is usually qualified.

he is highly regarded in the profession

respect implies a considered evaluation or estimation.

after many years they came to respect her views

esteem implies greater warmth of feeling accompanying a high valuation.

no citizen of the town was more highly esteemed

admire suggests usually enthusiastic appreciation and often deep affection.

a friend that I truly admire

Examples of admire in a Sentence

We gazed out the window and admired the scenery.

I admire the way you handled such a touchy situation.

Recent Examples on the Web

The next day, Kapas noticed the child kept returning to the booth, always admiring the fish hats. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024

Arrive before December 31st to admire the enchanting Christmas decorations that adorn all the streets. —Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

After a short boat ride, guests dispersed to admire dolphins rollicking in the marsh’s winding waterways. —Jennifer Hope Choi, Bon Appétit, 13 Dec. 2024

The 2024 ornament depicts the mosaics and mural at the top of the dome, which many visitors and school groups photograph or admire while laying down on the floor of the rotunda. —Hope Karnopp, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French admirer, Latinization of amirer "to make (little or much) of," borrowed from Latin admīrārī, ammīrārī "to regard with wonder, show esteem for," from ad- ad- + mīrārī "to be surprised, look with wonder at," derivative of mīrus, "remarkable, amazing," of uncertain origin

Note: Regarding etymology of Latin mīrus see note at smile entry 1.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Kids Definition

admire

verb

ad·​mire əd-ˈmī(ə)r 

admired; admiring

1

: to look at with admiration

admire the scenery

2

: to have high regard for

admired her courage

admirer

-ˈmīr-ər

noun

Etymology

from early French admirer "to marvel at," from Latin admirari (same meaning), from ad- "at" and mirari "to wonder" — related to miracle