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 reverence 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 & Antonyms 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

In the mosque, all who worship are supposed to be equal in the eyes of God. — Daisy Khan, WSJ, "The #MosqueMeToo Movement," 28 June 2018 For all of the, um, wackiness associated with the station during its glory years, the truth is that the station represented high-level radio, and some of the voices those cruising teens worshiped eventually shaped radio on a national level. — Jeffrey Lee Puckett, The Courier-Journal, "60 years ago, WAKY put the crazy in Louisville's rock 'n' roll radio," 7 June 2018 Llamalo is the brainchild of a young Jewish man named Caleb Silver, who in the summer of 1990 is joined by his cousin Rebecca, a reluctant recruit to the counseling staff, and David, a longtime camper who worships Caleb. — Ellen Emry Heltzel, The Seattle Times, "Heather Abel’s sly ‘The Optimistic Decade’ is an exceptional coming-of-age novel," 5 June 2018 For those aesthetes who worship good taste, the tree of life is a dazzling sight in all its incarnations. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, "This Textile Has Been All Over Vogue—Here’s Where It Came From," 1 June 2018 Two youthful performers, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson and Liam Springthorpe, portray the offspring as well as other roles, with Johnson particularly touching as a socially awkward student who worshiped the narrator's son from afar. — Daryl H. Miller, latimes.com, "'Ripe Frenzy,' a play about a school shooting, provokes thought with lyricism and restraint," 21 May 2018 But Nunberg was one of Stone’s guys and a Trump guy — a bomb-thrower who worshiped the combative legacy of Trump’s late mentor, Roy Cohn. — Robert Costa, Washington Post, "The Beatles had Pete Best. Donald Trump had Sam Nunberg.," 6 Mar. 2018 And while there were plenty of henotheist pagans (that is, people who worshiped one god while not denying the validity of others), Christianity went far beyond henotheism’s hesitant claim upon ultimate truth. — Tom Bissell, New York Times, "Why Did Christianity Prevail?," 13 Feb. 2018 And of course, fans are worshiping the new track on Twitter. — Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, "Watch: Ariana Grande declares 'God is a Woman' in new song and Twitter is worshipping it," 13 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Some members of the Puna community, including native Hawaiians, also say that geothermal development would subvert their worship of the volcano goddess Pele. — Paulina Firozi, Washington Post, "The Energy 202: Kilauea's eruption reignites debate over Hawaii's geothermal plant," 18 June 2018 What remains of one of Spain’s earliest cities is enough to paint the picture of a thriving market town with its own places of worship, salt factories and irrigation, art, palaces for the wealthy and what would have been stone shanties for the poor. — Smithsonian, "Explore the Ancient Ruins of Empúries," 15 June 2018 Cuba must secure important freedoms for its people, including the freedom of worship, speech, and association. — Nora Gámez Torres, miamiherald, "Trump is willing to negotiate with North Korea — but not Cuba," 14 June 2018 Ever eager to express their worship of bland uniformity, the millennials have been decorating in hues ranging from Dead Mouse’s Tail to Mole’s Breath, with accents in Salon Drab. — Sally Higginson, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Important advice on political discussions and home decor," 1 June 2018 Other readers were quick to jump in with their own worship of certain authors, as Faris did about children’s book author Roald Dahl. — Kaite Mediatore Stover, kansascity, "‘Dear Fahrenheit 451’ inspires book lovers to share the joy of reading | The Kansas City Star," 25 May 2018 The last 10 nights of Ramadan is a time of intense worship, followed by a three-day holiday. — Ashley May, USA TODAY, "Why are Muslims fasting? What you need to know about Ramadan," 11 May 2018 One singer who is particularly open about her Queen Bey worship is former Fifth Harmony member Normani. — Rania Aniftos, Billboard, "Normani Starts Her Mornings by Listening to Beyonce: 'I'm Having a Full On Show'," 26 Apr. 2018 The Pastors and Choirs from St. Peter and Peace Lutheran Church will lead our worship. — Lake County News-Sun, "Calendar," 26 Mar. 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

Phrases Related to worship

house of God/worship

place/house of worship

sun worshipper

worship at the altar of

worship the ground someone walks on

Statistics for worship

Last Updated

13 Oct 2018

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

noun

English Language Learners Definition of worship

(Entry 1 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

worship

verb

English Language Learners Definition of worship (Entry 2 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

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

worship

noun

wor·ship | \ˈwər-shəp