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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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
Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 4 Oct. 2024
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
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
But rather than trying to find more meaning in the Joker’s madness, Folie à Deux brings the metaphorical house lights up to take a much more negatively critical look at its central anti-villain and the culture of hero worship.
—Charles Pulliam-Moore, The Verge, 4 Oct. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hero-worship
Verb
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An old pal of mine — a Dodgers fanatic who adores Monfort the way Bugs Bunny adored Elmer Fudd — likes to joke that there are only two types of Rockies fans left at Coors Field by the All-Star break: Barely alive or barely sober.—
Sean Keeler,
The Denver Post,
23 Mar. 2025
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Leaving behind Bath's busy streets, the tour weaves through Hampshire's rolling hills, capturing the quiet elegance Austen adored.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Forbes,
19 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
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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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However, Brecher writes, not everyone liked these ideas.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Mar. 2025
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Finn likes to sit with Amato, who works from home – on his Pottery Barn kids sofa, which is personalized with his name.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA TODAY,
23 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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This is far from the first time Ina has shared her adoration for this saucy and cozy comfort food recipe.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Mar. 2025
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Grande and Erivo’s super sweet bond, which was on display during the Wicked press tour, makes this performance and the pair’s very clear mutual adoration for each other, even more special.—
Katherine Singh,
refinery29.com,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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It’s led to Berns meeting with people he’s idolized in the entertainment industry.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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For Nancy, the struggle is trusting her intuition and doing what’s right while prioritizing the safety of herself and her son, who idolizes his dad and expresses typical bratty teen contempt for his mom.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 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 30 Mar. 2025.
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