admiration

noun

ad·​mi·​ra·​tion ˌad-mə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: a feeling of respect and approval

They had/felt great admiration for her courage.

2

: an object of esteem

… his perfect horsemanship … was one of my earliest admirations.

—Joseph Conrad

3

archaic : wonder

Synonyms

• account
• appreciation
• esteem
• estimation
• favor
• regard
• respect

Examples of admiration in a Sentence

She looked at them in admiration.

I have great admiration for her courage.

We were filled with admiration for him.

She earned the admiration of her coworkers.

I have a great admiration for her courage.

Recent Examples on the Web

As the conversation continued, the hip-hop legend then began expressing his admiration for Towns. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024

But the material undergirding his beliefs—his keen admiration for Martin Luther King Jr., in particular—is still present. —K. Austin Collins, The Atlantic, 13 Dec. 2024

Much of that admiration has now shifted to Mangione, along with attempts to look through his relatively large online footprint for hints of a motive. —Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024

Taylor Swift's generosity also deserves admiration Swift’s altruism is frequently tagged as a reason for respect and admiration, even from those with a cursory interest in her. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English admiracion, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French amiracion, going back to Old French ammiration, borrowed from Latin admīrātiōn-, admīrātiō, from admīrārī "to admire" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing admiration

• self-admiration

Kids Definition

admiration

noun

ad·​mi·​ra·​tion ˌad-mə-ˈrā-shən 

1

: an object of admiring regard

2

: a feeling of great and delighted approval