Adulation

Word: Adulation

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: Excessive devotion to someone or obsequious flattery

Synonyms: Fawning

Antonyms: Criticism, debasement

Warning: People tend to confuse “adulation” for “adoration”, and erroneously use the two interchangeably. Note that “adulation” carries a negative connotation even though some sources will define it as “extreme admiration”, for it either refers to someone who is unreasonable or servile. Consider these three quotations:

• “If you're a movie star, there's a cycle you go through: adoration, adulation, you're used, and then you're discarded. And it happens again and again, always in that sequence.”
• “A passion for politics stems usually from an insatiable need, either for power, or for friendship and adulation, or a combination of both.”
• “I savour (sic) the adulation and love I have been getting from my fans and the blessings of elders in my family. Fourteen years have given me a lot and I can't thank God and the industry enough.”

Can you identify the improper usage?