Admired means held in high esteem or respect; shown approval or praise. It describes people or things that are valued or regarded with admiration, often due to notable qualities. The term can function as an adjective or, in gated constructions, as the past participle form in verb phrases, signaling a completed perception of esteem.
US & AU accents are Premium
Unlock all accent variations
- You often misplace the stress, saying ad-MI-red instead of ad-MIRED; keep the stress on the second syllable. - The /maɪ/ diphthong can blur into /meɪ/ or /maː/; ensure your mouth makes the /aɪ/ movement from low to high tongue position while lips tighten slightly. - Final /d/ is sometimes devoiced or softened in rapid speech; practice a clear, voiced /d/ release and avoid turning it into a /t/.
- US: rhotic /r/ before the final /d/; keep the tongue behind the alveolar ridge lightly and pronounce the /ɹ/ clearly; diphthong /maɪ/ as a smooth glide from /a/ to /ɪ/. - UK: less rhotic emphasis; /r/ is weaker or non-rhotic; finalize with a crisp /d/ and a short /ɪəd/ ending if unnecessary linking occurs. - AU: variable rhoticity with generally clearer final consonant than UK; you may hear a slightly more open /ɪ/ before /ə/ or /əd/ endings; maintain /maɪəd/ in careful speech.” ,
"The scientist was admired for her groundbreaking discoveries."
"Many music fans admired the performer’s daring new style."
"She admired the skyline as the sun set behind the city."
"They admired his patience and calm leadership during the crisis."
Admire derives from the Latin admirare, meaning to wonder at, look at with wonder, or regard with respect. Admirare is composed of ad- (toward) + mirari (to wonder, to marvel). The Latin sense of wonder transformed into a general sense of regard and esteem in Late Latin and Old French as admirer. The Middle English adoption shifted from admiration as a noun to admire as a transitive verb, retaining the sense of regarding with respect or praise. The modern adjective admirable (worthy of esteem) and noun admiration (the act or quality of admiring) evolved in the same family. First known use of admire in English appears in the 13th century, with early senses tied to astonishment and wonder; by the 14th–15th centuries, the sense broadened to include esteem and praise, especially in relation to notable persons or achievements. The word has since retained its core meaning across centuries, with nuanced usage in literary and colloquial contexts. In contemporary usage, admire frequently collocates with verbs of perception (admire, appreciate, respect) and with descriptors of character, achievement, or beauty, often in evaluative or expressive frames.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "admired" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "admired" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "admired" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "admired"
-red sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
It’s /ədˈmaɪrd/ in US usage and /ədˈmaɪəd/ in UK/AUS variants when the final /d/ is clearly produced. The stress falls on the second syllable: ad-MIRED. Mouth positioning: start with a neutral schwa, then a stressed /maɪ/ diphthong (mouth opens wide, glides from /a/ to /ɪ/), and finish with a voiced alveolar stop /d/. In careful speech, you’ll hear a crisp /r/ in American accents before the /d/, while non-rhotic accents may soften that linking. A practical cue is to lightly pronounce the /r/ only if your accent rhymes with “fire” before the /d/.”,
Common errors include misplacing stress (saying ad-MI-red or ad-MI-ered with the wrong vowel in the first syllable) and mispronouncing the vowel cluster as /æɪ/ instead of /aɪ/. Another frequent error is pronouncing the final /d/ too lightly or as a /t/ in flapped contexts. A corrective approach: keep the primary stress on the second syllable, ensure the /aɪ/ is the genuine diphthong in /maɪ/, and finish with a crisp /d/ release rather than a softened alveolar stop. Practice saying “ad-MYERD” slowly to encode the /maɪr/ portion, then normalize speed.”,
In US English, you’ll typically hear /ədˈmaɪrd/ with a rhotic /r/ before the /d/. UK/Australian accents may render the ending as /əd/ or /ɜːd/ depending on local rhoticity and linking, with less rhotic force before a following consonant. The diphthong /maɪ/ remains central in all. Australians often preserve non-rhotic tendencies in careful speech, so the /r/ is less pronounced, giving /ədˈmaɪəd/. In fast speech, some speakers may reduce the final /d/ or assimilate to a softer alveolar stop. The critical contrasts are rhoticity and the treatment of the /r/ and the ending /ɪər/ vs /ɪəd/ realizations.” ,
The difficulty centers on the stressed diphthong /aɪ/ in the second syllable and the crisp /d/ at the end. Many non-native speakers struggle with keeping the /d/ voicing clear while not adding an extra vowel after it. The transition from /maɪ/ to /rd/ requires tightening the tongue and jaw to avoid a schwa after the diphthong. Also, getting the final /d/ release prominent in rapid speech—without turning it into a /t/—is a common challenge. Focus on clean /maɪr/ onset and an articulate /d/.”,
No silent letters here. All letters contribute to the sound: the first syllable carries a schwa or reduced vowel, the second syllable holds the stressed /maɪ/, and the final /d/ is a voiced alveolar stop. However, in rapid or informal speech you may hear a reduced final consonant, especially in connected speech, but in careful pronunciation you’ll maintain the final /d/ clearly.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "admired"!
- Shadowing: listen to native samples saying 'admired' and repeat in real-time; focus on the /ˈmaɪr/ cluster and final /d/. - Minimal pairs: admire vs admired, aimed vs admired? (Use controlled pairs like 'admired' vs 'admiring' to lock stress and vowel). - Rhythm: practice 4-beat measure: ad- (unstressed) + MI- (stressed) + red (syllable). - Intonation: phrase-level fall after the final stressed syllable; practice with a sentence that ends. - Stress: practice emphasizing the second syllable with a higher pitch. - Recording: compare your audio to a reference; listen for dull final /d/ or misplacement of /maɪ/.
No related words found
