reverence

1 of 2

noun

rev·​er·​ence ˈrev-rən(t)s 

ˈre-və-;

ˈre-vərn(t)s

1

: honor or respect felt or shown : deference

especially : profound adoring awed respect

2

: a gesture of respect (such as a bow)

3

: the state of being revered

4

: one held in reverence

—used as a title for clergy

reverence

2 of 2

verb

reverenced; reverencing

transitive verb

: to regard or treat with reverence

reverencer noun

Synonyms of reverence

Verb

• venerate
• worship
• revere

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

The city works to balance fun with reverence, and discourages people from coming to the city to enter the cemeteries at night hoping for a ghostly experience. —Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025

The man nods in reverence from inside a building to salute the monster, but Godzilla doesn't reciprocate his kindness. —Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025

Verb

Written with the intimacy of a conversation among loved ones, Someday, Now invites readers to sit with loss while still reverencing the beauty of life, parenting, and letting our children flourish. —Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025

But Pi is precociously enlightened, his innocence not a problem to be rectified but a quality to be reverenced. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin reverentia, from reverent-, reverens "respectful, reverent" + -ia -ia entry 1

Verb

Middle English reverencen, derivative of reverence reverence

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing reverence

• sir-reverence

Rhymes for reverence

• severance
• irreverence

Kids Definition

reverence

1 of 2 noun

rev·​er·​ence ˈrev-(ə-)rən(t)s 

ˈrev-ərn(t)s

1

: honor or respect felt or shown : deference

2

: the state of being revered or honored

reverence

2 of 2 verb

reverenced; reverencing

: to think of or treat with reverence