adore
adore
Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling
The word adore has two syllables: a-dore.
Its phonetic spelling in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) varies slightly between American and British English:
General American: /əˈdɔɹ/
Received Pronunciation (British): /əˈdɔː/
Syllable Breakdown
a- (ə): The first syllable is an unstressed "schwa" sound, like the 'a' in "about."
-dore (dɔɹ / dɔː): The second, stressed syllable starts with the 'd' sound, followed by an open 'o' sound (like in "or"), and in American English, it ends with an 'r' sound.
Word Form Variations
Word Form Variations (Verb):
Present Tense: adore (I adore), adores (she/he/it adores)
Past Tense: adored
Present Participle: adoring
Word Form Variations (Noun):
Singular: adoration
Plural: adorations (less common, usually refers to multiple acts of adoration)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb: adore
This is the primary and most common form of the word.
Definition 1: To love someone with deep, profound affection, reverence, and devotion; to hold someone in the highest possible esteem.
Synonyms: love, cherish, worship, revere, idolize
Antonyms: hate, despise, abhor, detest, loathe
Definition 2 (Informal): To like something or someone very much; to find something extremely pleasing or delightful.
Synonyms: love, really like, be crazy about, delight in
Antonyms: dislike, hate
Noun: adoration
This form refers to the act or feeling of adoring.
Definition: A feeling of intense love, worship, or profound admiration for someone or something.
Synonyms: love, reverence, devotion, worship, veneration
Antonyms: hatred, contempt, disgust, loathing
Adjective: adoring
This form describes someone who shows adoration.
Definition: Feeling or expressing great love, worship, or admiration.
Synonyms: devoted, loving, doting, worshipful
Antonyms: hateful, scornful, contemptuous
Noun: adorer
This form refers to the person who adores.
Definition: A person who loves, admires, or worships someone or something.
Synonyms: fan, admirer, devotee, worshiper, follower
Antonyms: critic, detractor, hater
Examples of Use
📚 In Books & Literature
As a verb (deep love): "In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I adore and love you." (Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice)
As an adjective (adoring): "She was looking at him with adoring eyes, her heart full of a pure, ecstatic happiness." (Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot)
📰 In Newspapers & Online Publications
As a verb (informal "like"): "While critics are divided, audiences seem to simply adore the film, praising its heartfelt message and stunning visuals." (Fictitious example, typical of an entertainment review)
As a noun (adoration): "The level of public adoration for the athlete was clear, as thousands gathered just to catch a glimpse of her." (The Guardian)
As a headline (informal "like"): "15 Reasons We Will Always Adore This TV Sitcom." (Fictitious headline, common on sites like BuzzFeed or HuffPost)
🎬 In Entertainment (Music & Film)
In Music (Lyrics): "I'd walk through fire for you / Just let me adore you / Oh, honey / I'd walk through fire for you / Just let me adore you." (Harry Styles, "Adore You")
In Film (Dialogue): "I adore you. I'm crazy about you. I've been a fool, but I know it now." (Fictitious dialogue, common in romantic comedies)
💬 In General Public Discourse
On Social Media (Instagram/TikTok): A comment on a friend's photo of their new puppy: "I absolutely adore him! He is so cute."
In Conversation (Informal "like"): "You have to try the new bakery on Main Street. I adore their croissants."
In Conversation (Describing affection): "It's so sweet how he looks at her. You can just tell he adores her."
As a noun (adorer): "He has always been her biggest adorer, supporting everything she does."
10 Famous Quotes Using Adore
I adore simple pleasures; they are the last refuge of the complex. (Oscar Wilde)
Just let me adore you. (Harry Styles)
I simply adore you, but I cannot live with you. (John Keats)
I adore chaos. (Francis Bacon)
I adore wearing gems, but not because they are mine; you can't possess radiance, you can only admire it. (Elizabeth Taylor)
I adore extravagance, and I deny myself nothing. (Beatrix Potter)
I adore theatricality. (Marc Bolan)
I adore you, and I am bored to death with you. (W. Somerset Maugham)
We adore failures; they sing to us. (John Updike)
I don't adore you; I adore the world that you have created. (Anaïs Nin)
Etymology
🏛️ The Origin: "To Speak to God"
The word adore comes directly from the Latin word adōrāre.
You can break this Latin word into two simple parts:
ad-: A prefix meaning "to" or "at."
ōrāre: A verb meaning "to speak," "to plead," or "to pray."
This is the same root that gives us the English word "oration" (a formal speech).
So, in Latin, adōrāre literally meant "to speak to" or "to pray to."
📜 The First Meaning: Worship
When "adore" (by way of the Old French word adorer) first appeared in English around the 13th century, it had a single, powerful meaning: to worship as divine.
For hundreds of years, "adore" was used almost exclusively in a religious context. You would "adore" God, a deity, or a sacred object, but you would not "adore" a person or a pair of shoes. It meant to show the highest possible reverence.
❤️ How Its Meaning Softened
Over time, this very strong word began to soften. Starting around the 1600s, people began to use "adore" to describe an intense, worship-like love for another person.
From there, it softened even further into the common, informal way we use it today, which simply means "to be extremely fond of" or "to like very much" (e.g., "I adore your new haircut!").
Phrases + Idioms Containing Adore
Common Phrases Using "Adore"
Simply / Absolutely adore: An emphatic way of saying you like something very much. (e.g., "I simply adore that song.")
Adore (someone) to bits: An informal, affectionate phrase meaning to love someone deeply.
An adoring fan / admirer: A common term for someone who looks up to a celebrity or public figure.
An adoring gaze / look: To look at someone with obvious, deep affection and admiration.
Adored by all / millions: A phrase used to describe someone who is universally loved and cherished.
(To) adore the ground (someone) walks on: To love someone so much that you revere everything about them; to idolize someone. (This phrase often uses "worship" instead, but "adore" is also used).
Idioms with a Similar Meaning (Synonyms)
These idioms capture the intense love, worship, or fondness implied by "adore."
Head over heels (in love): To be completely and deeply in love.
The apple of (one's) eye: To be the person someone cherishes most of all.
To put (someone) on a pedestal: To admire or idolize someone, believing them to be perfect.
To worship the ground (someone) walks on: The most common form of the phrase mentioned above; to love or admire someone to an extreme degree.
(To be) crazy about: An informal idiom meaning to be very enthusiastic or in love with someone or something.
(To be) someone's everything: To be the most important person or thing in someone's life.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of adore from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
