Word
adulation
Phoneticsadu·la·tion
US/ˌædʒəˈɫeɪʃən/
UK/ˌædjʊlˈeɪʃən/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. very strong love and praise for someone, often more than they really deserve. You use it when fans or crowds admire a famous person too much.
n. excessive admiration or praise, especially for a public figure. Implies uncritical devotion rather than balanced respect.
Examples
“Fans show great adulation for the young singer.”
“The new manager receives constant adulation from staff, but senior leaders question whether the praise is deserved.”
“Despite years of public adulation, the novelist remained uneasy with fame, suspecting that uncritical worship obscured honest judgment of her work.”
Examples
simple
“Fans show great adulation for the young singer.”
contextual
“The new manager receives constant adulation from staff, but senior leaders question whether the praise is deserved.”
complex
“Despite years of public adulation, the novelist remained uneasy with fame, suspecting that uncritical worship obscured honest judgment of her work.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “adulation” in context.
Verb
01. adulation fades
“Initial adulation faded quickly once the expenses scandal became public.”
noun + verb
02. adulation grows
“Adulation grew with every record-breaking performance that season.”
noun + verb
03. bask in adulation
“The champion basked in the adulation of the home crowd after winning gold.”
verb + prep + noun
04. border on adulation
“The crowd's devotion bordered on adulation during the final farewell tour.”
verb + prep + noun
05. crave adulation
“Insecure leaders often crave constant adulation from their followers.”
verb + noun
06. enjoy adulation
“He clearly enjoyed the adulation of thousands of cheering supporters.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. blind adulation
“The young star was uncomfortable with the blind adulation of his teenage fans.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. chorus of adulation
“The speech was met with a deafening chorus of adulation from supporters.”
noun + prep + noun
09. object of adulation
“As a teenage idol, he became the object of adulation for millions.”
noun + prep + noun
10. bask in public adulation
“The young tennis star basked in public adulation after her surprise victory.”
11. border on blind adulation
“His followers' loyalty began to border on blind adulation.”
12. lap up the adulation
“The singer paused to lap up the adulation of the screaming crowd.”
Usage
Commonly followed by 'of' or 'for' to name the person admired.
Real-World Examples
“The pressure comes not only from the hatred but from the adulation, the weight of expectations, the requests for help.” “We can allow our political and social leaders some space to enjoy the adulation that comes with leadership.” “Although the strange oppressiveness of collective adulation isn't new, it is becoming far more ubiquitous—and insidious— in the attention economy .” “Yet Mourinho also articulates his desire to be loved, though you sometimes wonder if, to him, that has as much in common with adulation as affection.” Etymology
From French adulation, from Latin adulātio (“flattery”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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