"Adore You" is a pop and R&B ballad, which lasts for four minutes and 38 seconds. The song performs in common time, at a tempo of 60 beats per minute. Played in the key of C major, the chord structure of C—Fmaj7—Am is followed throughout, and Cyrus's vocal range spans from G3 to A4. Its lyrics discuss "power imbalance in love"; in the chorus, she states her affection towards her boyfriend through the lines "When you say you need me / Know I need you more / Boy, I adore you", although Kyle Fowle of Slant Magazine felt that Cyrus' reliance in her partner is admittedly detrimental to her personal well-being as the song continues.
