as in blasphemy
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
the sect has no tolerance for any irreverence directed toward their spiritual leader
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Recent Examples of irreverence
Conan O’Brien hosted for the second straight year, with the right amount of bratty irreverence.
—
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
Shot through the lens of director Yorgos Lanthimos' darkly comedic irreverence, this is a (gloriously) nasty piece of work, and Colman is more than willing to get her hands dirty.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
His irreverence was much needed in a week full of repeating ideas, as was the impressive level up of his technique.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 14 Mar. 2026
Melissa has teamed up with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends once again to create a nostalgic and vibrant collection that merges Melissa’s irreverence with Sanrio’s playfulness.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irreverence
Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
Shot through the lens of director Yorgos Lanthimos' darkly comedic irreverence, this is a (gloriously) nasty piece of work, and Colman is more than willing to get her hands dirty.
—Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
His irreverence was much needed in a week full of repeating ideas, as was the impressive level up of his technique.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 14 Mar. 2026
Melissa has teamed up with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends once again to create a nostalgic and vibrant collection that merges Melissa’s irreverence with Sanrio’s playfulness.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irreverence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irreverence
Noun
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The president later removed the post in the face of outrage and accusations of blasphemy.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
4 May 2026
-
For creatives, its use was treated like blasphemy.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But by then, religious and political leaders from around the world condemned the image, some calling it a sacrilege.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
That might sound like sacrilege, because the NFL is beyond criticism for many sports fans, but the draft is the ideal example of what the league has become and the importance of gambling to modern audiences.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Kapoor, who had moved from Atlanta to Miami to attend college, faces 10 years or more in prison on the money-laundering and payroll-tax violations.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
-
In 2020, longtime TCC instructor and program director Jeff McDonald sued the college for breach of contract, constitutional violations and deprivation of property interests without due process.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Gerlach is facing nearly 500 charges — including burglary, abuse of a corpse and desecration of monuments — tied to a disturbing investigation at Mount Moriah Cemetery near Philadelphia, the outlet reported.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Against desecration of our flag bill 4.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Even aside from Trump’s own enthusiastic personal immorality and impiety, his political style — the pugnacious smear artist and demagogic braggart — was the antithesis of what evangelicals had sought before.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
23 Sep. 2025
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By one hand, he is bound to himself, to his impiety, his recklessness, his envy and pride, his guilt and spite.—
Merve Emre,
The New Yorker,
16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The event, organized by the Shelby County Republican Party, turned out a small crowd and was greeted by some supportive honks from motorists, but also some cursing at Trump from people in at least two cars passing by.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Premium cable, with its grit and cursing and nudity, is not the natural habitat of an actor who thrives on the chuckles of studio audiences.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In September 2024, López called on Fúnez to step down because of a corruption scandal.—
Marlon González,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
-
Endemic corruption is one of the obstacles slowing Ukraine’s admission.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
When Azik tries to rid himself of the stigma, calling someone else weak as if to offload the physical weight of the insult, a startling act of violence occurs.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
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Sometimes, there’s no better way to pay tribute to a dear friend than by lambasting them with insults.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irreverence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irreverence. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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