reverent

adjective

rev·er·ent ˈrev-rənt

ˈre-və-;

ˈre-vərnt

Synonyms of reverent next

: expressing or characterized by reverence : worshipful

reverently adverb

Examples of reverent in a Sentence

a reverent crowd of worshippers a reverent tone of voice

Recent Examples on the Web Other features of the installation, which looks unflinchingly at all parts of the life cycle, include glass replicas of extinct flora and reverent works of collage from gardening guides. —

Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Sep. 2023 Read full bio Mike Sutton Technical Editor Mike Sutton is an editor, writer, test driver, and general car nerd who has contributed to Car and Driver's reverent and irreverent passion for the automobile since 2008. —

Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 3 July 2023 French people are known around the world for their culinary traditions and the reverent status enjoyed by meat on menus across the country’s bistros. —

Leo Sands, Washington Post, 5 Sep. 2023 Yes, the Scouts taught skills and virtues to many boys: how to be thrifty, brave, clean and reverent; how not to pitch a tent at the bottom of a hill. —

John Anderson, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2023 It’s evidenced when boys, and only boys, pass the sacrament as a part of the faith’s most reverent and repeated rite every Sunday, while the girls sit on the chapel benches to await the renewal of covenants at the hands of boys. —

Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 Aug. 2023 Stanley has had his own reverent feelings about fatherhood. —

Emily Krauser, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2023 Saturday festival hours are noon to 9 p.m. with a reverent polka Mass at 4 p.m. —

Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 10 Aug. 2023 The show routinely mocks efforts, even reverent ones, to idealize Native American life and history. —

Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reverent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin reverent-, reverens, present participle of reverērī "to stand in awe of, revere entry 1"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of reverent was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century