awe

noun \ ˈȯ \

Definition of awe

1 :an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime

stood in awe of the king

regard nature's wonders with awe

2 archaic

a :dread, terror

b :the power to inspire dread

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See awe defined for kids

Examples of awe in a Sentence

Clem gasped in awe. Inches from the shelf stood a column of scrimshaw the likes of which he'd never seen. —Al Michaud, Fantasy & Science Fiction, March 2005
I expected to be impressed by Machu Picchu, but now that we're here, standing in the clouds atop the world, I'm more than impressed—I'm in awe. Machu Picchu is actually better than photographs suggest, more a timeless way station than archaeological ruin. —Patrick J. Kelly, Traveler, May/June 2005
Organs began to appear in American churches early in the eighteenth century. Their glorious tones promised to harmonize cacophonous congregational singers and to inspire worshippers with a reverential sense of awe, bestirring them to moral improvement. —Jonathan D. Sarna, American Judaism, 2004
It was a sight that filled me with awe and reverence.
a person who inspires feelings of awe in others

Recent Examples of awe from the Web

After Liverpool's emphatic 4-0 victory over Arsenal on Sunday, many were left in awe of the quality of Jurgen Klopp's men, especially given the absence of their want-away, star playmaker, Philippe Coutinho.

— SI.com, "Gary Lineker Gives His Opinion on Philippe Coutinho's Place in the Liverpool Pecking Order," 28 Aug. 2017
Many people who observe a total eclipse of the sun report experiencing a sense of awe bordering on the spiritual.

— erika rose, Post-Tribune, "IU Northwest astronomy professor explains fascination with upcoming solar eclipse," 10 Aug. 2017
Like the glamour girls of classic Hollywood, Madeline and Helen are fierce and flawless, uncompromising and awe-striking.

— kristy puchko, vanityfair.com, "The Gloriously Queer Afterlife of Death Becomes Her," 3 Aug. 2017
The Ryzen 3 chips may lack the awe-inspiring power of their high-end Threadripper cousins, but quantity sales matter to AMD, too.

— mark hachman, PCWorld, "AMD ships Ryzen 3, facing Intel's Core i3 with more performance for less money," 27 July 2017
But what the film lacks in chemistry, it more than makes up for in visual beauty, a CGI seduction of the eyes that rivals the awe and impact of James Cameron's Avatar.

— jordan hoffman, Popular Mechanics, "'Valerian' Is a Flawed Journey Into a Fascinating Sci-Fi World," 10 July 2017
This charming little circus is missing something: an audience on the other side of a ring, their expressions of joy, fear and awe amplifying my own, exciting and uniting all of us.

— holly millea, Smithsonian, "Step Right Up! See the Reinvention of the Great American Circus!," 29 June 2017
St. Rita's Matt Verdun was a bit in awe of the surroundings as well.

— steve millar, Daily Southtown, "Kyel Alexander of Morgan Park stars as Public League All-Stars roll," 19 June 2017
My recollections of Jerry are a tangle of awe, friendship, fun and the hardest work of my life.

— hilton lewis, Scientific American Blog Network, "In Memoriam: Jerry Nelson, Legendary Telescope Designer," 16 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'awe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of awe

Middle English, from Old Norse agi; akin to Old English ege awe, Greek achos pain

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

awe Synonyms

Synonyms

admiration, amazement, astonishment, wonder, wonderment

Related Words

dread; fear; respect, reverence, veneration; curiosity, interest; shock, surprise; disbelief, incomprehension, incredulity; beguilement, bewitchment, captivation, enchantment, fascination; animation, enlightenment, enlivenment, excitement, invigoration, stimulation; absorption, engagement, engrossment, enthrallment, immersion, involvement

Near Antonyms

apathy, disinterest, incuriosity, indifference, unconcern; boredom, doldrums, ennui, listlessness, restlessness, tedium, tiredness, weariness, weltschmerz; cheerlessness, dispiritedness, joylessness, melancholy

awe

verb \ ˈȯ \

Definition of awe

awed; awing

transitive verb

:to inspire or fill with awe

We were awed by the beauty of the mountains.

See awe defined for English-language learners

Examples of awe in a Sentence

We stood at an impasse. If she thought she was getting my bags, she was nuts. I was still awed that they had actually made it through baggage claim in one piece; there was no way I was parting with them now. —Helene Cooper, The House At Sugar Beach, 2008
Most relative neophytes are so awed by having been accepted into the priesthood of specialty medicine and so reluctant to cause themselves trouble in the institutions in which they will work for the coming decades that they would be hesitant to risk offending their seniors. —Sherwin B. Nuland, New York Review of Books, 18 July 2002
But even non-birders cannot help but be awed by the significance of the habitat. All around us creatures dart and dive; birds attracted by fish and water, birds drawn by seeds and chaff. Birds with silly names: loons, boobies, cuckoos, goatsuckers. —Clara Jeffery, Harper's, November 2002
Her style both awes and perplexes me.