irreverence

noun

ir·​rev·​er·​ence i-ˈre-v(ə-)rən(t)s 

ˌi(r)-,

-ˈre-vərn(t)s

1

: lack of reverence

2

: an irreverent act or utterance

Synonyms

• blasphemy
• defilement
• desecration
• impiety
• profanation
• sacrilege

Examples of irreverence in a Sentence

the sect has no tolerance for any irreverence directed toward their spiritual leader

Recent Examples on the Web

The interplay between elegance and irreverence, refinement and boldness, comes to life in pieces that embody a conscious femininity. —Felicity Carter, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

These fresh takes on the traditional Japanese drinking tavern still specialize in small, shareable dishes, but do so with a notable irreverence. —Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Jan. 2025

Trump continues to be treated with irreverence in the local press. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025

In the 1938 classic The Adventures of Robin Hood, Robin Hood is a happy iconoclast, meting out his form of social and political justice with the cheerful irreverence and deft strokes of Errol Flynn, cinema’s premier swashbuckler. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for irreverence

• reverence
• severance