Definition of REVERENCE

Choose the Right Synonym for reverence

Noun

honor, homage, reverence, deference mean respect and esteem shown to another. honor may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition. the nomination is an honor homage adds the implication of accompanying praise. paying homage to Shakespeare reverence implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe. great reverence for my father deference implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence. showed no deference to their elders

Verb

revere, reverence, venerate, worship, adore mean to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully. revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling. a professor revered by her students reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring. reverenced the academy's code of honor venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age. heroes still venerated worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony. worships their memory adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment. we adored our doctor

Examples of reverence in a Sentence

Noun

The national pickle dish, kimchi, is held in such reverence that Seoul boasts a museum devoted entirely to its 160 different varieties. — The Encyclopedia of Herbs, Spices, & Flavorings, 1992 Reverence for or worship of the dead is found in all societies, because belief in life after death is universal. — World Religions, 1983 He took the command of this small party at once—the little girl and the little boy following him about with great reverence at such times as he condescended to sport with them. — William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, 1848 Her poems are treated with reverence by other poets. Their religion has a deep reverence for nature.

Verb

Only acquaintance with the great models of antiquity moves men to love and reverence the great authors of their own time … — John Clive, Not By Fact Alone, 1989 It is our most fundamental political document, reverenced by all, the supposed cement of our society, yet it is read by few and understood by fewer still. — David M. Kennedy, New York Times Book Review, 14 Sept. 1986 None of us like mediocrity, but we all reverence perfection. — Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad, 1880 devotees coming to reverence their god

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Will textbooks afford Trump more reverence than Obama? — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Wishes He Could Destroy Obama’s Legacy. He Hasn’t. And Won’t.," 20 May 2018 Developers speak of Itch with reverence and delight, and almost everyone has a story about how Corcoran personally went above and beyond to help them achieve their vision for release. — Patricia Hernandez, The Verge, "The game store that outshines Steam by staying small and weird," 29 Nov. 2018 Even collecting the award isn't always a moment of tears and reverence. — refinery29.com, "Why The Billboard Music Awards Are Better Than The Grammys," 14 May 2018 Think of the reverence Rangers' fans have for someone such as Michael Young and then double it to get a feeling for Carpenter's importance to Cardinal Nation. — Stefan Stevenson, star-telegram, "TCU Power Index: All-Star Matt Carpenter remains face of Cardinals' franchise," 21 June 2018 But devotees and Antelope residents alike eventually came around out of a reverence for preserving history — and until the series debuted on Netflix, the story of what happened at Rajneeshpuram had long remained hidden in news archives. — Mahita Gajanan, Time, "The Wild Wild Country Team Knows They Left Out Part of the Story. But They Did it on Purpose," 13 Apr. 2018 In 1923, vandals made off with the cross, and then came into being the wooden-framed, stuccoed cross that eventually became an object of reverence to residents of La Jolla and Pacific Beach. — sandiegouniontribune.com, "Wind topples Mt. Soledad cross," 15 Mar. 2018 Political scientists like Mounk talk about norms and institutions with a kind of reverence that can seem puzzling to non-scholars and non-wonks. — Jennifer Szalai, New York Times, "In ‘The People vs. Democracy,’ Trump Is Just One Populist Among Many," 14 Mar. 2018 If your mom is looking for a bit of peace and quiet on her special day, consider gifting her 50 white roses, which represent reverence and silence, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. — Lyndsey Matthews, Country Living, "Costco Is Selling 50 Roses for Less Than $50 for Mother’s Day," 30 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

A life cut short by unexpected catastrophe is reverenced. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "Jessie Homer French at Various Small Fires: In death, she finds life," 6 May 2017

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