worshipful

adjective

wor·​ship·​ful ˈwər-shəp-fəl 

 also  ˈwȯr-

1

a

archaic : notable, distinguished

b

chiefly British

—used as a title for various persons or groups of rank or distinction

2

: giving or expressing worship or veneration

worshipfully

ˈwər-shəp-fə-lē 

 also  ˈwȯr-

adverb

worshipfulness noun

Synonyms

• adoring
• adulatory
• deifying
• idolizing
• worshipping
• worshiping

Examples of worshipful in a Sentence

She was greeted by thousands of worshipful fans.

a movie fan's worshipful stare upon finally meeting her idol

Recent Examples on the Web

Her chef and housekeeper, Bruna (Alba Rohrwacher), is timid and worshipful but able to take quietly decisive action when necessary. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024

In a country given to worshipful talk of Founding Fathers, this is not a new subject on the political stage. —Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2024

Today, Robeson is remembered as an ascendant figure in any cultural history of America in the twentieth century, the subject of thick biographies, the inspiration for academic conferences, and the topic of worshipful documentaries. —Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2024

Last year, eight films scored A+; the only ones that didn’t target right-wing film fans were concert films from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, both of whom have their own worshipful fan bases. —Tom Brueggemann, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "deserving honor or respect, of noble character, worthy of veneration," from wurðscip, worschip "honor, esteem, renown, veneration, rank" + -ful -ful entry 1 — more at worship entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

worshipful

adjective

wor·​ship·​ful ˈwər-shəp-fəl 

: giving worship