adulation

[ aj-uh-ley-shuhn ]

noun

1. excessive devotion to someone; servile flattery.

adulation

/ ˌædjʊˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. obsequious flattery or praise; extreme admiration

Other Words From

• ad·u·la·to·ry [aj, -, uh, -l, uh, -tawr-ee, -tohr-ee], adjective
• self-adu·lation noun
• self-adu·la·tory adjective
• un·adu·lating adjective
• un·adu·la·tory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of adulation¹

Middle English < Middle French < Latin adūlātiōn- (stem of adūlātiō ) servile flattery, fawning, equivalent to adūlāt ( us ), past participle of adūlārī, -āre to fawn upon (of dogs), apparently a nominal derivative, with ad- ad-, of an otherwise unattested base + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Temporarily abandoning the prospect of mass adulation and yacht-club wealth, the duo of Nicolas Jaar and Dave Harrington pursued intimate and personal solo endeavors.

From Washington Post

Divorced from technology, the foragers may not be interested in watching the final product, but it’s likely they wouldn’t be phased by such adulation.

From Eater

There is an odd disconnect between his indifference and the adulation of her fans or the careful treatment she’s given by a family that’s painfully aware of her mental health.

From Time

The president has delighted in playing impresario to this drama, reveling in the adulation of the crowds.

From Washington Post

The sport that brought him stardom and adulation, not to mention countless millions of dollars, was becoming secondary, almost a nuisance, interfering with a drug habit.

From Washington Post

Before NYC Prep, reality TV stars were sources of entertainment, but never objects of envy or adulation.

From The Daily Beast

Putin seeks similar adulation in Sochi and he must not receive it.

From The Daily Beast

So here Obama is, craving security and adulation, but being denied both.

From The Daily Beast

The audience was not yet done showering Simons with adulation.

From The Daily Beast

Lafayette, more interested in his own nationwide tour of adulation, declined.

From The Daily Beast

It is only the servile adulation of later writers that has pictured Bruce as animated by patriotism.

From Project Gutenberg

Lifted to the skies for an hour by popular adulation, he has been sunk into obscurity ever since by historic contempt.

From Project Gutenberg

He does not seem to have deserved much of the adulation bestowed upon him.

From Project Gutenberg

When she came to town for the season she scored a decided success, and all the leading Dailies joined in the chorus of adulation.

From Project Gutenberg

What you wanted was someone to satisfy all your vanities—your yearning for devotion, for adulation, for sense of power.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• applause
• commendation