Cool MateAdmire vs I respect his motives
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Admire
Top 1,000 (very common)B1verb
I respect his motives
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Admire
| Admire | I respect his motives | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ədˈmaɪə(r)/","/ədˈmaɪəz/","/ədˈmaɪəd/","/ədˈmaɪərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ədˈmaɪər/","/ədˈmaɪərz/","/ədˈmaɪərd/","/ədˈmaɪərɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //rɪˈspɛkt//🇺🇸 //rɪˈspɛkt// |
| Meaning | To think highly of someone or something and appreciate their qualities. | I think his reasons are good. |
| Example | I really admire her dedication to her work. | I respect his motives for volunteering at the shelter. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | deeply, enormously, greatly, have to, about, for, be generally admired, be widely admired, can’t help admiring, pause to, stop to, stand back to | respect someone's motives, earn respect, show respect, command respect, demand respect |
| Antonyms | despise, disdain, scorn | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'admiration' as a verb., Incorrectly using 'admire' without an object., Using 'admire' inappropriately in casual contexts. | Confused with 'accept' which means to agree or receive., Saying 'respect to' instead of 'respect for'., Using the wrong preposition after 'respect' (should be 'for'). |
| Usage notes | Use 'admire' when you want to express respect or approval for someone or something. It is appropriate in both spoken and written English, but might come across as less common in very casual conversations. | Use 'respect' when showing regard for someone's character or intentions. It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but can be too formal for casual conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Admire vs I respect his motives
What's the difference between Admire and I respect his motives?
Admire: To think highly of someone or something and appreciate their qualities. I respect his motives: I think his reasons are good.
Which is more common: Admire and I respect his motives?
Admire is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Admire: I really admire her dedication to her work. I respect his motives: I respect his motives for volunteering at the shelter.
Can I use Admire and I respect his motives interchangeably?
Not always. Admire and I respect his motives are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.