adulation

Adulation is excessive, obsequious praise or flattery, often implying insincerity or manipulation. The term derives from Latin adulationem, from adulator to flatter, via adulari meaning to caress or flatter.

It differs from genuine admiration and from ordinary praise. Adulation implies sustained, pervasive praise that may be unwarranted or designed to curry favor. While genuine respect acknowledges merit, adulation tends to elevate the person praised beyond proportional consideration.

In politics, business, and celebrity culture, adulation appears as cults of personality, fawning interviews, or fan worship. On social media, frequent validation can resemble adulation, reinforcing favorable biases and conformity.

Scholars view adulation as a social tool that can reward desirable behavior but also distort judgment and power dynamics. It can bolster confidence or morale in the short term, yet it may suppress dissent, enable manipulation, or create dependency on external validation.