as in worship
excessive admiration of or devotion to a person
fans of the team are well known for their idolatry of the quarterback
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Recent Examples of idolatry
As Venus and Neptune align, beware of conflating love and idolatry!
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 7 Mar. 2026
As a cipher, the Discobolus can either represent Pollak’s humanistic ethos of a cosmopolitan society or the idolatries of Hitler’s blood-and-soil fascism.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
These all may be interpreted as acts of idolatry.
—Michael Isaacson, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
The horror movie, starring Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers, explores the inner sanctum of fame, idolatry, and the pursuit of excellence at any cost.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idolatry
Usa Today, USA Today, 7 Mar. 2026
As a cipher, the Discobolus can either represent Pollak’s humanistic ethos of a cosmopolitan society or the idolatries of Hitler’s blood-and-soil fascism.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
These all may be interpreted as acts of idolatry.
—Michael Isaacson, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025
The horror movie, starring Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers, explores the inner sanctum of fame, idolatry, and the pursuit of excellence at any cost.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for idolatry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idolatry
Noun
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And two-thirds say churches and other houses of worship should keep out of political matters.—
Yonat Shimron,
NPR,
15 May 2026
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But the chapel, heavy with the scent of ecclesiastical incense, felt as genuine as could be, worn from nearly two centuries of worship.—
Paul Brady,
Travel + Leisure,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Yet she’s viewed, like everything else in the movie, with an adoration that is nearly transcendental.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
16 May 2026
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There’s probably a smart, chilling film to be made about the terrors of smothering and relentless adoration — one imagines what Rod Serling would have done with something like this — but this isn’t really that film.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Noun
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By the nail holes above and beside the worshiping altar, the household hung garlands.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
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Afternoons are made for fresh piña coladas, languid sun worshipping, and offshore adventures on motorboats fully stocked with snorkels, fins, and local beer.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idolatry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idolatry. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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