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View synonyms for awe

awe

[ aw ]

noun

  1. an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like:

    in awe of God; in awe of great political figures.

    Synonyms: veneration, wonder

    Antonyms: contempt, apathy

  2. Archaic. power to inspire fear or reverence.
  3. Obsolete. fear or dread.


verb (used with object)

, awed, aw·ing.
  1. to inspire with awe.
  2. to influence or restrain by awe.

awe

/ ɔː /

noun

  1. overwhelming wonder, admiration, respect, or dread
  2. archaic.
    power to inspire fear or reverence
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. tr to inspire with reverence or dread
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈaweless, adjective
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Other Words From

  • outawe verb (used with object) outawed outawing
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Word History and Origins

Origin of awe1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English aghe, awe, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse agi “fear,” cognate with Gothic agis, Old English ege, Greek áchos “pain”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of awe1

C13: from Old Norse agi; related to Gothic agis fear, Greek akhesthai to be grieved
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Example Sentences

The shared feelings, the bubbling emotion, the awe: she became an experience.

John Luther Adams lives up to the title of his composition, capturing an oceanic torrent of sound in an awe-inspiring performance.

In the art world, sex can be the ultimate attention-grabber, one of the best forms of shock and awe.

He was in awe of Tel Aviv, a gay-friendly city with Pride parades rivaling those in Berlin and Amsterdam.

I watched in awe as he virtually caromed off the walls of the classrooms and hallways.

Struck with surprise, the dead silence of profound awe, for an instant stilled the whole assembly.

It was very unfortunate that the whole establishment stood in unaffected awe of the redoubted Mr Bellamy.

Awe stole upon him; he felt himself included in the great ideal of this older day.

The bishop answered, that the awe of seeing before him so great and wise a prince made him afraid to trust himself.

Ye told me that he only kepit twa sairvents: a cook, hoosekeper, who lived awe', an' a man—a foreigner?

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