Adoration
noun /ˌædəˈreɪʃən/ — Love that verges on reverence.
Definition
Deep love and respect; a feeling of profound affection and admiration that approaches worship.
Beyond the definition
Adoration is love at its most worshipful — you don't just love the person, you revere them. The word has religious roots and carries that intensity. It's the feeling that makes someone place another person beyond ordinary judgment.
Origin & history
From Latin adoratio — worship (ad- 'to' + os, oris 'mouth'). Originally, to bring your lips toward something in reverence.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The adoration in the child's eyes was pure — nothing complicated about it.
She was uncomfortable with adoration; she preferred to be respected than revered.
Adoration can be its own kind of loneliness — being loved for something you're not sure you are.
Synonyms
reverence, worship, devotion, love, veneration
Antonyms
contempt, disdain, indifference
Related words
Adoration vs worship
Adoration is deep love accompanied by reverence and warmth. Worship is an extreme, often devotional act of elevating someone or something to a status above oneself.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Entering with reverence
An adult stands at the entrance to an ancient forest, carrying a glowing talisman that illuminates their path forward.
The posture of respect at a sacred threshold captures the essence of adoration. The act of reverence suggests a profound love and admiration that transcends simple affection, showing a willingness to honor something larger than oneself.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration