excessive adulation

USAGE SUMMARY

"excessive adulation" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe an overwhelming or disproportionate level of praise or admiration for someone or something. An example could be: "The celebrity received excessive adulation from her fans, which made her uncomfortable." Alternative expressions include "over-the-top praise" and "undue flattery."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The petition also asked that the Steubenville schools superintendent admit that there was a "rape culture and excessive adulation of male athletes" at Steubenville High.

The New York Times - Sports

The new legal burdens of non-executives, particularly on audit committees, may mean that the atmosphere in American boardrooms swings too far, from excessive adulation of the chief executive to its opposite, curbing the risk-taking that is essential to corporate success.British corporate governance is not as marvellous as many Brits smugly believe.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"So not excessively excessive.

The New York Times

Nor can he keep the adulation from sounding excessive when it is directed at Eddie.

The New York Times - Books

And he got something much better than a week of excessive and nauseating praise, worship, and adulation from ESPN - an appearance on The Price is Right!

Huffington Post

Ordinarily, I would feel obliged to include a disclaimer at this point, noting that my brother works for Simon's UK publisher, but so universal is the critical esteem in which Simon is held that a response to his work that falls short of unrestrained adulation is more likely to raise eyebrows than excessive praise.

Independent

This adulation is understandable.

The New York Times

Adulation is fine.

Independent

He aroused adulation.

The New York Times - Books

Mass adulation came later.

Independent

The adulation embarrasses him.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "excessive adulation", consider whether a more specific term like "flattery" or "worship" might be more appropriate to convey the precise nature of the exaggerated praise.

Common error

Avoid using "excessive adulation" when simply describing genuine admiration. Ensure the context clearly indicates the praise is disproportionate or insincere.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "excessive adulation" primarily functions as a noun phrase, where "excessive" modifies the noun "adulation". As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it describes an exaggerated or disproportionate level of praise or admiration. It is used to identify a specific kind of adulation, one that exceeds normal or acceptable limits.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "excessive adulation" is a noun phrase used to describe an exaggerated level of praise or admiration, often with a negative connotation. While grammatically correct, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's a relatively rare phrase, primarily found in news and media contexts. When using this phrase, consider whether a more specific term might be more suitable and ensure that the context clearly indicates the disproportionate or insincere nature of the praise. Related phrases include "exaggerated praise" and "undue admiration". The most frequent sources using this expression are The New York Times and The Economist, further suggesting its suitability for formal or professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excessive flattery

Directly replaces "adulation" with a synonym, "flattery", emphasizing insincerity.

exaggerated praise

Focuses on the inflated nature of the praise itself, rather than the act of adoring.

undue admiration

Highlights the inappropriateness or unreasonableness of the level of admiration.

exorbitant praise

Stresses the unreasonable and disproportionate nature of the praise.

inordinate flattery

Emphasizes the manipulative aspect of excessive praise, suggesting insincerity.

unwarranted praise

Indicates that the praise is not justified or deserved.

over-the-top praise

A more informal way of describing praise that is excessive and exaggerated.

fulsome praise

Highlights the abundance and sometimes insincerity of the praise.

overweening admiration

Suggests that the admiration is so excessive it borders on arrogance.

unrestrained acclaim

Focuses on the lack of limits or boundaries in the expression of praise.

FAQs

How can I use "excessive adulation" in a sentence?

You can use "excessive adulation" to describe situations where someone is receiving too much praise or admiration. For example: "The celebrity received "excessive adulation" from her fans after the movie premiere".

What are some synonyms for "excessive adulation"?

Alternatives to "excessive adulation" include "exaggerated praise", "undue admiration", or "inordinate flattery" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it always negative to describe something as "excessive adulation"?

While "excessive adulation" often carries a negative connotation, suggesting insincerity or disproportionate praise, it's not always inherently negative. The context determines whether the "excessive adulation" is seen as problematic or simply overenthusiastic.

What's the difference between "adulation" and "excessive adulation"?

"Adulation" refers to strong admiration or praise. "Excessive adulation", on the other hand, implies that the level of admiration or praise is beyond what is reasonable or appropriate. Thus, "excessive adulation" is always a stronger statement than just "adulation".