worship

verb

wor·ship | \ ˈwər-shəp also ˈwȯr-

worshipped also worshiped; worshipping also worshiping

Definition of worship

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power

2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion a celebrity worshipped by her fans

intransitive verb

: to perform or take part in worship or an act of worship

worship

noun

Definition of worship (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power also : an act of expressing such reverence

2 : a form of religious practice with its creed and ritual

3 : extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem worship of the dollar

4 chiefly British : a person of importance —used as a title for various officials (such as magistrates and some mayors)

Other Words from worship Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about worship

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Choose the Right Synonym for worship

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 worship in a Sentence

Verb

Many ancient cultures worshipped the sun and moon. They worship at this temple. I worship God in my own way.

Noun

worship of gods and goddesses Worship services are held daily. the media's worship of celebrities

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

So here are seven ways to enjoy the heck out of yourself this weekend, from great music and theater to fun in the sun and a chance to worship ice cream. — Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, "7 crazy-good Bay Area things to do this weekend, July 19-21," 18 July 2019 Approximately 130 people come to worship on an average Sunday, according to Nsengiyumva. — Mary Grace Keller, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Gunfire recording on Westminster church’s voicemail prompts cancellation of services," 15 July 2019 Watching people play Mario Maker 2, or diving into it yourself, can feel like stepping into a church erected to worship pixelated death and the frustrated streams of your best friends. — Julie Muncy, WIRED, "The Super Mario Maker 2 Community Is a Haven of Player Creativity," 10 July 2019 The earliest sculptures were placeholders for gods, objects to be worshipped. — Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, "Will Los Angeles Lose a Beloved Piece of Public Art?," 9 July 2019 Mark refused to worship the pagan god, and an enraged mob tied a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets to his death. — National Geographic, "Ancient Egypt gave rise to one of the world's oldest Christian faiths," 19 Apr. 2019 Each episodic adventure brings a new world (a planet where an Orville officer is worshiped as a god) or allegory (a society that metes out justice based on people’s reputation online). — John Jurgensen, WSJ, "‘The Orville’ and Its Vintage Vibe Fill the Void for Some ‘Star Trek’ Fans," 26 Dec. 2018 Essentially, repairing a facade or a roof does not directly affect how a congregation worships or practices. — Nick Corasaniti, New York Times, "New Jersey Ruling Could Reignite Battle Over Church-State Separation," 24 Apr. 2018 After worshipping at various locations between 1968 and 1972, First Presbyterian built a smaller sanctuary, with classrooms and office space on part of its property at its final home, 49 N. Fourth Street. — Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, "After 170 years, First Presbyterian Church of San Jose closes its doors downtown," 1 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Notre Dame is fundamentally a place of worship and retains great religious importance, but its meaning has broadened. — Ephrat Livni, Quartz, "SCOTUS says the Christian cross has “secular” meaning, citing Notre Dame in France," 20 June 2019 Churches are vital places of worship and fellowship for our citizens and bind us together as a community. — Tanya A. Christian, Essence, "Louisiana Church Arson Suspect Charged With Hate Crime," 13 June 2019 Keenly aware of humans’ connection with their environment, the Batammaliba ensure that all of their buildings, from houses to places of worship and public spaces, are evocative of the body—a focus deftly reversed by Leigh’s Brick House. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "The High Line’s Art-Centric Final Section Is Officially Open," 7 June 2019 So far, activities at the worship and community center have focused on religious services and distribution of free bread. — Jane Ford-stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "New food pantry opening at Salvation Army believed to be Greenfield's first," 2 July 2018 Those themes about being pushed out of your home because of intolerance and ignorance, being pushed out of your space of worship and school. — Megan Ditrolio, Marie Claire, "Janet Mock on Making History With Pose," 4 June 2018 So in 2000, the parish and school agreed on a swap — the chapel was converted from a gym back to a worship and gathering space. — Ann Zaniewski, Detroit Free Press, "Collapsed chapel, a school gym and hope, all part of this weekend's Mass Mob," 11 May 2018 The church, which is widely condemned by mainstream Christians, has previously protested at McClatchy and Granite Bay high schools, Sacramento houses of worship and the state Capitol. — Diana Lambert, sacbee, "Students respond to Westboro protestors with heart-shaped stickers, rainbow pins," 9 May 2018 Countless works are visible at Akron hospitals, schools, libraries, places of worship and other public gathering places. — Jennifer Conn, Akron Reporter, cleveland.com, "Akron artist Don Drumm's iconic sun still shining after 60 years," 26 Apr. 2018

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

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Dictionary Entries near worship

worship at the altar of

worshipful

Statistics for worship

Last Updated

21 Jul 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for worship

The first known use of worship was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for worship

worship

verb

English Language Learners Definition of worship

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to honor or respect (someone or something) as a god

: to show respect and love for God or for a god especially by praying, having religious services, etc.

: to love or honor (someone or something) very much or too much

worship

noun

English Language Learners Definition of worship (Entry 2 of 2)

: the act of showing respect and love for a god especially by praying with other people who believe in the same god : the act of worshipping God or a god

: excessive admiration for someone

British —used as a title when addressing or referring to certain officials (such as mayors and magistrates) —used with his, her, your, or their

See the full definition for worship in the English Language Learners Dictionary

worship

noun

wor·ship | \ ˈwər-shəp