admire

[ ad-mahyuhr ]

verb (used with object)

admired, admiring.

1. to regard with wonder, pleasure, or approval.

   Synonyms: venerate, revere, esteem

   Antonyms: despise

2. to regard with wonder or surprise (usually used ironically or sarcastically):

   I admire your audacity.

verb (used without object)

admired, admiring.

1. to feel or express admiration.
2. Dialect. to take pleasure; like or desire:

   I would admire to go.

admire

/ ədˈmaɪə /

verb

1. to regard with esteem, respect, approval, or pleased surprise
2. archaic.
   to wonder at

Derived Forms

• adˈmiring, adjective
• adˈmiringly, adverb
• adˈmirer, noun

Other Word Forms

• ad·mir·er noun
• pre·ad·mire verb (used with object) preadmired preadmiring
• qua·si-ad·mire verb quasiadmired quasiadmiring
• un·ad·mired adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of admire¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin admīrārī, equivalent to ad- ad- + mīrārī (in Medieval Latin mīrāre ) “to wonder at, admire”

Word History and Origins

Origin of admire¹

C16: from Latin admīrāri to wonder at, from ad- to, at + mīrāri to wonder, from mīrus wonderful

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. be admiring of, Chiefly South Midland and Southern U.S. to admire:

   He's admiring of his brother's farm.

Example Sentences

Looking at it feels like being stopped in your tracks by a painting in a museum, unable to do anything but admire it for reasons not entirely known to you.

From Salon

Text messages and communications showed he held violent, extremist beliefs for years and admired mass murders, prosecutors said.

From Los Angeles Times

Though he lives just south of the Altadena border in Pasadena, his heart broke for his neighbors and friends, as well as for the community he admired.

From Los Angeles Times

State Department employees are now learning what it's like to live under Rubio's total rejection of the American compassion and freedom he once claimed to admire.

From Salon

"A lot give up on themselves. I admire the heck out of him because he didn't."

From BBC

Related Words

• adore
• applaud
• appreciate
• cherish
• commend
• credit
• extol
• hail
• honor
• idolize
• laud
• marvel at
• praise
• prize
• respect
• revere
• treasure
• worship