1
as in to adore
to love or admire too much
people who hero-worship celebrities are setting themselves up for disappointment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overpraise
to praise too much
a golfing pro who is hero-worshipped by hordes of weekend duffers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 hero-worship
Guy Lodge, Variety, 28 Sep. 2024
There’s a pleasing economy to that set-up, establishing the family dynamic of a man ruled by a monomaniacal focus, a stoical woman who keeps her distance from his professional pursuits, and hero-worshipping sons who seem a safe bet to try to emulate their dad in the ring.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Sophie Pinkham, The New York Review of Books, 14 Mar. 2024
No one on the team knows about Sir and everyone on that team has a little hero worship where Gabi is concerned.
—Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 4 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hero-worship 
Verb
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
There’s a pleasing economy to that set-up, establishing the family dynamic of a man ruled by a monomaniacal focus, a stoical woman who keeps her distance from his professional pursuits, and hero-worshipping sons who seem a safe bet to try to emulate their dad in the ring.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
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
No one on the team knows about Sir and everyone on that team has a little hero worship where Gabi is concerned.
—Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 4 Oct. 2023
See all Example Sentences for hero-worship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hero-worship
Verb
-
The underlying numbers adore Pepi, with FBref’s statistical profile analysis comparing his favorably to Viktor Gyökeres of Sporting CP (this winter’s hot striker target) and Evanilson of Bournemouth (who left Porto last summer).—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
14 Jan. 2025
-
Paired with an elegant tap and handles, the result is an unusual, old-fashioned bathroom sink that Instagram users have adored.—
John Mac Ghlionn,
Newsweek,
13 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Visiting a mosque is not unlike visiting a cathedral, a synagogue, or any other place of worship.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
-
For more information call 219-464-1443 or text 833-458-8611. To submit a worship brief, email cnance@post-trib.com.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
This intensely private man, whose performance-art alter ego became an above-the-title star of stage and screen while he purposefully puppet-mastered in the shadows, doesn’t like the idea of being stuck in the passenger seat of his own story.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2025
-
Deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status en masse is the most popular of President Donald Trump’s policy proposals, while territorial expansion is among the least liked, according to new polling.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
But while law enforcement praises corporations for handing over driver data, others are concerned that most of the information collected could be violating people’s privacy.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN,
15 Jan. 2025
-
The conversation between the three actresses then shifted to Shields' praising Swift for discussing body image and the pressure to look perfect during her 2020 documentary, Miss Americana.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The couple can't get enough of their cute pups, Jesse and Fable, and now have one more way to showcase their adoration in addition to posting paw-fect selfies to social media — and that's with custom sweaters featuring pictures of their dogs on them!—
Michelle Lee,
People.com,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Betty White's sweet, ever-cheery Rose — a role that snagged her an Emmy Award in 1986 — may not have all the zingers on The Golden Girls, but her rants and tangents draw priceless looks from her housemates and adoration from viewers.—
Margaret Lyons,
EW.com,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Fleetwood Mac in Chicago (1969) Like the other British blues bands of the ’60s, Fleetwood Mac’s early lineup idolized American bluesmen, and jumped at the chance to record with them.—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
9 Jan. 2025
-
Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield, who grew up idolizing Johnny, changed his jersey number to 13, the same number Johnny wore.—
Hailey Salvian,
The Athletic,
30 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Fans took to the comment section to congratulate Oleksy and her husband.—
Sara Vallone,
Miami Herald,
19 Jan. 2025
-
Immediately after his victory, many tech leaders publicly congratulated Trump and started making moves to win his favor, including schmoozing with the incoming president at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and making donations to his inauguration committee.—
Jay Peters,
The Verge,
19 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hero-worship
Cite this Entry
“Hero-worship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hero-worship. Accessed 28 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share