reverent

adjective

rev·​er·​ent ˈrev-rənt 

ˈre-və-;

ˈre-vərnt

: 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

But the bigger issue is that Tenzing keeps its title character and his closest ally (to say nothing of all the smaller characters around them) at a reverent distance, rendering them in broad strokes rather than fine shading. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026

Around them, an aristocratic winemaker defines his legacy, a legendary maître d’hôtel seeks his heir, and a reverent wine critic pursues the sublime. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026

These movies always run the risk of being overly reverent, and for better and worse, Johnson’s take on Bourdain’s formative years is not concerned with reverence. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026

The Lost Boys gave us the chance to create something that feels reverent toward the film while still staking its own claim. — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

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

Rhymes for reverent

• irreverent

Kids Definition

reverent

adjective

rev·​er·​ent ˈrev-(ə-)rənt 

ˈrev-ərnt

: very respectful : showing reverence

reverently adverb