reverend 1 of 2

adjective

ˈrev-rənd How to pronounce reverend (audio)
Definition of reverendnext
as in venerable
deserving honor and respect especially by reason of age our reverend elders should be accorded a special place of honor at the ceremonies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reverend

2 of 2

noun

as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church called their reverend and asked if he could marry them next June

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reverend
Adjective
No one was a better fit for the job to officiate Richie and Madden's 2010 wedding than the Run DMC frontman, who is a reverend IRL. — Grace Gavilanes, Peoplemag, 23 Aug. 2022 There before the reverend mother and God, the police (wielding rifles) and the butchers (wielding a cow trailer) managed to corral two of the steers. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2022
Noun
Curry said Firecracker is a lonely character, and her reverend is the only person on the show who sees and loves her earnestly. — Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2026 The reverend stands tall at the pulpit and reads from the Gospel of Matthew. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reverend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reverend
  1. venerable
  2. priest
  3. revered
  4. preacher
  5. venerated
  6. clergyman
  7. respectable
  8. deacon
Adjective
  • The venerable soul food restaurant is a tourist destination in its own right, with six dining rooms and capacity for 300 guests.
    — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 11 July 2026
  • This second installment represents the venerable anthology franchise’s height of humor, invention, and variety.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Definition of venerable
Noun
  • At the church near the cemetery’s entrance there’s a funeral, and the chants of the priests fill the square.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • Three of my aunts were nuns, many of my cousins became priests, and my parents, siblings and I were all educated by the Jesuits.
    — Geri McGinn Kerger, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2026
Definition of priest
Adjective
  • The revered Black Sabbath frontman’s bandmates reflected on his legacy on the anniversary of his death.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2026
  • The revered player’s death was caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026
Definition of revered
Noun
  • Videos posted on social media show street preachers speaking with multiple police officers outside the event.
    — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 July 2026
  • During a rare weekend at home, Godwin wrote the song — an allusion to his grandfather, Charles Godwin, a Methodist preacher — after putting the kids to bed one night.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2026
Definition of preacher
Adjective
  • On the night of June 15, a Russian drone directly hit the most venerated site for Ukraine’s majority Orthodox Christians, and indeed for much of Eastern Christendom.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 26 June 2026
  • To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark live release, Frampton recounts his history in bands The Herd and Humble Pie before striking stadium-sellout gold as a solo star with venerated guitar chops and an inventive talk box.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Definition of venerated
Noun
  • Robin, our hero, is the son of a country clergyman.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
  • The trio of vicars starts with James Norton as Sidney Chambers, the doe-eyed clergyman with a taste for cool jazz and clever women.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 14 June 2026
Definition of clergyman
Adjective
  • The battery can accept up to 100kW of DC charging, which is a respectable figure for a plug-in hybrid and faster than some pure-electric cars can manage.
    — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • That’s a perfectly respectable field, though most of the players are likely unknown to casual sports fans.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of respectable
Noun
  • Among the residential buildings were the home of a deacon named Tisous and another that researchers think may have originally been a house church before the construction of the basilica.
    — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026
  • Among them were the house of Tisous, identified as a church deacon and dating to the second half of the fourth century, which archaeologists believe served as a house church before the construction of the city’s basilica.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of deacon

Browse Nearby Words

reverencing
reverend
Reverend Mother
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Cite this Entry

“Reverend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reverend. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reverend

Nglish: Translation of reverend for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reverend

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