as in pious
formal
showing or having a lot of respect
a reverential attitude They spoke in reverential terms about their recently departed spiritual advisor.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reverential
Freed from the demands of a typical episode, in which whatever Donald Trump happened to say that morning could upend entire sketches, the team found clever, reverential ways to play in the deep sandbox of SNL’s past and present.
—
Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025
After receiving the Living Legend Award from a reverential, cigarette-smoking Bono, Sinatra, who choked up immediately, launched into an acceptance speech dotted with humorous anecdotes and pauses.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2025
Some of the press has called me negatively reverential to Maria Callas.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2024
Add in the implicit expectation that players should be respectful and reverential to their forebears, and Raducanu’s apparent indifference to Murray’s achievements jarred in a sport where the standard practice is to big up those who went before.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for reverential
Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025
After receiving the Living Legend Award from a reverential, cigarette-smoking Bono, Sinatra, who choked up immediately, launched into an acceptance speech dotted with humorous anecdotes and pauses.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 26 Jan. 2025
Some of the press has called me negatively reverential to Maria Callas.
—Beatrice Verhoeven, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Nov. 2024
Add in the implicit expectation that players should be respectful and reverential to their forebears, and Raducanu’s apparent indifference to Murray’s achievements jarred in a sport where the standard practice is to big up those who went before.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for reverential
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reverential
Adjective
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The grieving sisters try to uncover the truth about what happened to Grace, and increasingly suspect Roger’s pious, overbearing sister Angelica (Fiona Shaw) of wrongdoing — but turn out to be (mostly) wrong about her intentions.—
Meredith Blake,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Dec. 2024
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Advertisement Nazanin goes through the same preparations as Salme, who has turned supremely pious in the intervening years, and Zari, who has grown more level-headed, not to say jaded.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Between the lines: Other prominent liberals have ventured into the belly of the beast with a different mindset — engage in fierce but respectful debate with the goal of publicly exposing MAGA's flaws.—
Zachary Basu,
Axios,
14 Mar. 2025
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Linus O’Brien gives that chapter of the story a respectful 20 minutes, with lots of rambunctious footage and a sweet acknowledgment of Sal Piro, one of the earliest and most influential superfans, who died in 2023.—
Daniel Fienberg,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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At his former school, officials said extra counselors would be available to offer one-on-one counseling, spiritual guidance, prayer space, grief workshops and other healing exercises.—
Harry Harris,
The Mercury News,
20 Mar. 2025
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Neptune was last in Aries from 1862-1875 which helped fuel radical reinvention through war, liberation, and spiritual awakening, seen in the U.S. Civil War, abolition, industrial expansion, and the rise of mystical movements.—
Colin Bedell,
Them,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
And last fall, Hurley played a set to a hushed, reverent audience at the annual Brooklyn Folk Festival.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
18 Mar. 2025
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Sometimes, the most loving creations are the least reverent.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
11 July 2024
Adjective
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And in the middle is a holiday associated with merry drinking and a centuries-old religious figure: St. Patrick's Day.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA TODAY,
16 Mar. 2025
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Women belonging to ethnic and religious minorities experienced distinct harms that were compounded by pre-existing discrimination and violence against them - as women and as minorities.—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Reverential.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reverential. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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