Meaning & use
idolatrous
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Meanings
adjectivecomparablereligion
Involving the worship of idols or statues as if they were gods.
Grammar: Usually describes practices, beliefs, or people: an idolatrous ritual.
Patterns
- an idolatrous cult
- idolatrous worship
The prophet warned the people against idolatrous rituals.
Early missionaries often described local customs as idolatrous.
The temple was destroyed because it was considered idolatrous.
adjectivecomparablefigurativedisapproving
Admiring a person or thing so much that the feeling seems excessive or blind.
Grammar: Often figurative and critical: idolatrous devotion to a celebrity.
Patterns
- idolatrous devotion to someone
- idolatrous admiration
The columnist mocked the idolatrous coverage of the young star.
Their idolatrous loyalty to the founder blinded them to his faults.
He looked at his hero with an almost idolatrous gaze.
Word forms
| comparative | more idolatrous |
|---|---|
| superlative | most idolatrous |
Common combinations
- idolatrous worship
- The text condemns idolatrous worship of any creature.
- idolatrous devotion
- His idolatrous devotion to the band was almost frightening.
- idolatrous practice
- Ancient writers called the practice idolatrous.
- idolatrous image
- The statue was dismissed as an idolatrous image.
- idolatrous love
- She spoke of her idolatrous love of her city.
Synonyms and how they differ
- worshipful
- Worshipful describes deep respect and can be positive, while idolatrous usually criticizes excessive devotion.
- pagan
- Pagan refers to non-Abrahamic or non-mainstream religion generally, while idolatrous focuses on worshiping images.
- adoring
- Adoring is a warm, mild word for love or admiration, but idolatrous suggests it has gone too far.
- sycophantic
- Sycophantic describes flattering someone to win favor, whereas idolatrous describes sincere but excessive admiration.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: idolatrous or idyllic? idolatrous or idolized?
idolatrous vs idyllic
Idyllic means peaceful and perfect, as in an idyllic village, and it has no link to idols.
idolatrous vs idolized
Idolized is a verb form meaning greatly admired, and it is less critical than idolatrous.
Practice
A critic wrote that fans showed an ______ devotion to the singer, ignoring every flaw. Which word fits best?
Choose one answer.
Idolatrous suggests blind, excessive admiration. Idyllic, idle, and ideal are similar in spelling but do not describe devotion that ignores flaws.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “idolatrous”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.