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
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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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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hero-worship
Thomas Smith, Billboard, 6 May 2025
There’s a kitschy, romantic, hero-worshipping nostalgia to the image, as if Norman Rockwell had undergone a lobotomy.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
Sarah Scott, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
Prone to hero worship early on, Drake hashed out his style in public, dabbling in rap while working on the Canadian teen soap Degrassi: The Next Generation.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Verb
In an accompanying statement, Yungblud said that the record explores the theme of hero-worship.
—Thomas Smith, Billboard, 6 May 2025
There’s a kitschy, romantic, hero-worshipping nostalgia to the image, as if Norman Rockwell had undergone a lobotomy.
—Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
The young girl's feelings of being left out and ostracized by her peers likely led her to the group—which experts say is a dangerous mix of hero worship and unhealthy messaging about how to cope with bullying.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
Prone to hero worship early on, Drake hashed out his style in public, dabbling in rap while working on the Canadian teen soap Degrassi: The Next Generation.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hero-worship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hero-worship
Verb
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There’s a women’s health fair being held in the lot today, and Kōnane might appear out of place, but the organizers adore John and his commitment to bring back the game.—
Matt Negrin,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
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Frampton is adored in Irish boxing circles as a gritty fighter who claimed belts in two divisions without ever straying far from his working-class roots.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The result is sometimes overpraising, overprotection, and overindulging children, mixing emotional intensity with economic privilege in ways that breed entitlement.—
Christine Michel Carter,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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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
Noun
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Its congregation has grown to 350 people, with more than 100 regularly showing up for worship.—
Sophie Carson,
jsonline.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Twenty-eight percent of Democrats regularly attend a house of worship, compared to 42% of Republicans; in the 1970s, the gap was only 4 percentage points.—
Ryan Burge,
The Conversation,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Brandon, 13, likes to stay active by playing sports, especially football, basketball and kickball.—
The Star,
Kansas City Star,
20 Sep. 2025
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Thirteen prefer going across; Eight like to go around.—
Cathy Kozlowicz,
jsonline.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Mexican boxer issued his first public comments on X, praising Crawford while addressing his own future following the unanimous-decision defeat.—
Joel Thayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Fans took to the comments to react, with many praising them both for their humor.—
Liza Esquibias,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Read more about this place's investment in and adoration of the sport here.—
Payton Titus,
Louisville Courier Journal,
18 Sep. 2025
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The prize of Star Baker, a call home to a loved one, and the adoration of all the cast and multiple nations.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Children all over the world grow up idolizing Lionel Messi, but for Mateo Silvetti, Inter Miami’s latest signing, his admiration for the Argentine icon is personal.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
16 Sep. 2025
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But the only clear finding so far, law enforcement officials said, was that the attacker had come to idolize mass shooters, particularly those who have killed children.—
Ernesto Londoño,
Twin Cities,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Royals shared a special video from Brett congratulating Perez.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
13 Sep. 2025
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The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers issued a statement congratulating Astin on his victory.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hero-worship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hero-worship. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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