admiringly

admiringly — adverb

1. using words, looks, or actions to show you greatly respect, approve of, or feel

1.adverbB2
Definition

using words, looks, or actions to show you greatly respect, approve of, or feel pleasure towards someone or something

Example

Vikram looked admiringly at the detailed wood carvings on the old temple walls.

adverb after verb of perception: looked admiringly at [object]

Sirin spoke admiringly of her grandmother's courage during the difficult years of the war.

adverb after verb of speaking: spoke admiringly of [someone]

Common collocations
  • looked admiringly
  • gazed admiringly
  • smiled admiringly
  • nodded admiringly
  • spoke admiringly
  • remarked admiringly
Synonyms
  • appreciatively

    more about recognising value or quality; slightly less emotional than admiringly

  • approvingly

    focuses on expressing agreement or positive judgment, not necessarily deep respect

  • respectfully

    emphasises deference and honour toward someone or something

Antonyms
  • scornfully

    shows contempt or strong disapproval, the opposite of admiration

  • disdainfully

    suggests looking down on something as unworthy, opposite of looking up with admiration

Grammar Patterns

[verb of perception] + admiringly + at/of [object]

[verb of reaction] + admiringly + as [clause]

Usage Note

Admiringly typically follows verbs of perception (look, gaze, watch) or reaction (smile, nod, speak). It can also appear at the end of a quoted statement as a speech tag, giving the feeling that the speaker is genuinely impressed. The adverb is less common in everyday conversation and more frequent in descriptive or literary writing.

Common Mistakes

He admirably looked at the painting.
He looked admiringly at the painting.
'Admirably' means 'in a way that deserves admiration,' while 'admiringly' means 'in a way that shows admiration'; they describe opposite directions of feeling.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four adverbs describe positive reactions, but they differ in focus. Admiringly is the strongest — it implies deep respect or wonder toward someone's qualities or achievements. Appreciatively focuses on recognising the value or beauty of something, often in a quieter way (e.g., 'She tasted the soup appreciatively'). Approvingly suggests giving permission or endorsement, not necessarily personal admiration (e.g., 'Her father nodded approvingly'). Respectfully emphasises deference and proper conduct rather than personal emotion (e.g., 'He listened respectfully to the elder's advice'). For genuine awe or praise of someone's talent or character, admiringly is the most natural choice. Example: compare 'Theo looked admiringly at his mentor's work' (deep respect) with 'Theo nodded approvingly at the plan' (simple agreement).

appreciativelyapprovinglyrespectfully ↗admiringly ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Admiringly comes from the verb admire, which traces back through Middle English and Old French to Latin admirārī, formed from ad- ('at, towards') and mīrārī ('to wonder at'). The -ing suffix creates the present participle stem, and -ly turns it into an adverb meaning 'in a manner that shows wonder or respect.' The word has been used in English since the late 1500s.