Adulation

hardNegative tone

aj-uh-LAY-shun

noun

Definition

Excessive admiration or praise

Memory hook

ADULT-ation: ADULTS fawning over a celebrity -- excessive, over-the-top praise.

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Word roots

adularito flatter servilely(Latin)

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Examples

The celebrity was uncomfortable with the adulation of fans.
His innovative work earned him adulation from peers.

Test yourself

Fill in the blank with the right word:

The celebrity was uncomfortable with the ______ of fans.
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adulation

Synonyms

worshipidolizationflatteryfawning

Antonyms

criticismcondemnationcensurecontempt

Categories

View all Admiration words

GRE Tip

Adulation is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "worship" or "idolization" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "criticism".

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