adulate
/'ædjuleit/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To praise or admire someone excessively and insincerely, typically to gain favor or advantage. It implies a level of flattery that is servile and fawning.
Usage and Examples
- Verb:
- The crowd seemed to adulate the celebrity, cheering every word he said.
- Some leaders are surrounded by aides who adulate them, never offering honest criticism.
- She refused to adulate the powerful director, preferring to give her professional opinion directly.
Advanced Usage
- The act of adulation often involves exaggerated praise that is not based on genuine merit. It is commonly observed in political, corporate, or celebrity contexts where there is a significant power imbalance.
- In authoritarian regimes, the state media is often used to adulate the ruler.
- The noun form is adulation, which refers to the excessive admiration itself.
- He was uncomfortable with the public's adulation.
Variants and Related Words
- Adulation (n): Excessive admiration or praise.
- The actor received widespread adulation for his performance.
- Adulator (n): A person who adulates; a flatterer.
- The king was misled by his adulators.
Synonyms
- Flatter: To praise complimentarily, especially to please.
- Fawn: To flatter or show affection in a servile way.
- Toady: To behave obsequiously to someone important.
Antonyms
- Criticize: To indicate the faults of someone or something.
- Insult: To speak to or treat with disrespect.
- Denounce: To publicly declare to be wrong or evil.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- While there is no common idiom using the exact word "adulate," the concept is central to phrases like:
- To butter someone up: To flatter someone, especially to gain a favor.
- He's just buttering up the boss to get that promotion.
- To lay it on thick: To exaggerate one's praise or flattery.
- The introduction laid the praise on a bit too thick.
Verb
- flatter in an obsequious manner