admire

admire — verb

1. to look at a person, place, or thing and feel pleasure because you find them bea

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to look at a person, place, or thing and feel pleasure because you find them beautiful, impressive, or interesting to see.

Example

Rashida stood by the window, admiring the snow on the rooftops across the street.

admire + noun (object of visual pleasure)

Tourists in Kyoto often stop on the bridge to admire the cherry trees in spring.

admire + plural natural object

Common collocations
  • admire the view
  • admire the scenery
  • stop to admire
  • stand admiring
Synonyms
  • appreciate

    broader; can include hearing or tasting, not only seeing

  • gaze at

    stresses long looking; admire adds a feeling of pleasure

Grammar Patterns

admire + noun (object)

Usage Note

Object is something you can see directly — a view, an object, a person's appearance, a building. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense focuses on visual pleasure, not respect for someone's character or actions.

Common Mistakes

I admire that the sunset is beautiful.
I admire the sunset.
admire takes a direct object (a noun), not a that-clause.

2. to think very highly of a person, or of an action or skill they have shown, beca

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to think very highly of a person, or of an action or skill they have shown, because you see their character or behaviour as good and worth copying.

Example

Mei has always admired her grandmother for raising six children on her own.

admire someone for + -ing

Many young writers admire Toni Morrison for her honest stories about family life.

admire someone for + noun phrase

Common collocations
  • greatly admire
  • deeply admire
  • secretly admire
  • admire for courage
  • admire for honesty
Synonyms
  • respect

    wider in scope; respect can be granted formally without warm feeling

  • look up to

    informal; usually used for someone older or more senior

  • esteem

    formal; common in writing, less natural in everyday speech

Antonyms
  • despise

    strong opposite; suggests active dislike of the person's character

  • look down on

    informal; treat someone as inferior

Grammar Patterns

admire someone for something

admire someone for + -ing

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'for + reason' to name what is admired. Subject is normally a person; object can be a person, a quality, or an action. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about respect for character or behaviour, not visual pleasure.

Common Mistakes

I admire to my teacher.
I admire my teacher.
admire takes a direct object with no preposition.
She admires him because of brave.
She admires him for being brave.
use 'for + -ing' or 'for + noun' to give the reason.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

All four words describe a positive view of a person, but the feeling and register differ. 'Respect' is the broadest and most neutral — you can respect a rival or even an opponent without warm feeling, simply because they have earned it. 'Admire' adds an emotional layer of pleasure or wonder: you respect the person AND enjoy thinking about what they have done. 'Look up to' is informal and personal — it suggests the person is older, wiser, or more senior than you, like a parent or mentor. 'Esteem' is formal and mostly used in writing or speeches. Compare: 'I respect my boss for being fair' (cool, neutral) versus 'I admire my boss for staying calm under pressure' (warmer, with feeling). 'Children look up to their parents' is natural; 'Children esteem their parents' sounds stiff.

admire ↗respect ↗look up to ↗esteem

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • stop to admire
  • stand admiring
  • can't help admiring
  • have always admired

Prepositions

  • for (the reason)

Etymology

LatinMiddle FrenchEnglish

Admire entered English in the late 1500s from Middle French 'admirer', which came from Latin 'admirari', meaning roughly 'to wonder at'. The Latin word is built from 'ad-' ('at, towards') and 'mirari' ('to wonder'), the same root that gives us 'miracle' and 'mirror'. Early English use carried a stronger sense of surprise or amazement; over time the meaning softened into the modern feelings of pleasure when looking and respect when judging character.