1
as in to adore
to love or admire too much
people who hero-worship celebrities are setting themselves up for disappointment
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overpraise
to praise too much
a golfing pro who is hero-worshipped by hordes of weekend duffers
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as in worship
excessive admiration of or devotion to a person
once the object of uncritical hero worship, the aging quarterback now faces the derision of his team's fickle fans
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hero-worship
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
The film’s gaze is arguably as mocking as it is dazzled — with the macho posturing and hero-worship of Roca Rey a tacit source of comedy — while Serra, living up to his reputation for challenging arthouse fare, doesn’t flinch in his presentation of animal abuse and suffering.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Sep. 2024
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2024
In the translator Jennifer Croft’s first novel, a band of translators from around the world navigates romantic entanglements and their hero worship of an elusive Polish author.
—Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Verb
Machismo is another one of these elements as the doc repeatedly shows a star matador and his hero-worshipping entourage.
—Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
The film’s gaze is arguably as mocking as it is dazzled — with the macho posturing and hero-worship of Roca Rey a tacit source of comedy — while Serra, living up to his reputation for challenging arthouse fare, doesn’t flinch in his presentation of animal abuse and suffering.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Sep. 2024
Noun
Folie à Deux has much to say about the state of society and questionable hero worship in the name of keeping the masses entertained in a TMZ era.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2024
In the translator Jennifer Croft’s first novel, a band of translators from around the world navigates romantic entanglements and their hero worship of an elusive Polish author.
—Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hero-worship
Verb
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Our protagonist, Jeff, hates romance reality shows with as much passion as his girlfriend adores them.—
Randy McMullen,
The Mercury News,
13 Mar. 2025
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The married chefs, one of whom is Italian, adore artichokes.—
Tamar Adler,
Vogue,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Know-nothings pretend that Schrader’s Bressonian mannerisms reveal the spiritual depths of contemporary crisis, when, in fact, Master Gardener repeats the same social-collapse paranoia that made secular reviewers overpraise the religious, racial, suicide-bomber topics of First Reformed.—
Armond White,
National Review,
24 May 2023
-
He’s overpraised of course.—
Nick Laird,
The New York Review of Books,
16 Mar. 2023
Noun
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San Xavier del Bac (Arizona) Unlike many old Spanish churches that are now museums or parks, this mission on the outskirts of Tucson is still a very active place of worship and learning as well as meeting place for the local Tohono O’odham community.—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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Taihong Ouyang, 49, was arrested Tuesday and charged with burglary and criminal mischief, both as hate crimes, and aggravated harassment after a string of break ins at the worship sites earlier that day.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The heaviest bend would have come immediately after the hook set, which never occurs (maybe Quint liked circle hooks).—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
13 Mar. 2025
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Then there was a change of manager and the new guy, Mel Machin, liked the look of him.—
George Caulkin,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Goswami praised her collaborators but also thanked the AFA academy — and herself.—
Patrick Brzeski,
The Hollywood Reporter,
16 Mar. 2025
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Fans have praised the bout and the performance of both guys as Strickland became the new #1 contender for the World Title.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, Newfoundland and Labrador Puffins have earned widespread adoration thanks to their colorful beaks and adorable appearance, and for anyone hoping to spot these creatures in the flesh, the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is the perfect place.—
Jared Ranahan,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
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But ultimately, there’s not really a drop of irony in this profession of adoration.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That marked the culmination of a lifetime dream, Kawamura said, having grown up idolizing the game’s biggest stars.—
Hanako Montgomery,
CNN,
10 Mar. 2025
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In particular, Spencer idolized Asian American figure skaters such as Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhou, as well as Maxim Naumov, whose parents, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were coaches at the Skating Club of Boston and also died in the plane crash.—
Emilie Ikeda,
NBC News,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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And once again, his mom was first to congratulate him.—
Clare Fisher,
People.com,
18 Mar. 2025
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The monarch, wearing a red tie and an Order of Canada lapel pin, congratulated Carney on his recent victory.—
Rob Gillies,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hero-worship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hero-worship. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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