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reverential

American  
[rev-uh-ren-shuhl] / ˌrɛv əˈrɛn ʃəl /

adjective

  1. of the nature of or characterized by reverence; reverent.

    reverential awe.
reverential British  
/ ˌrɛvəˈrɛnʃəl /

adjective

  1. resulting from or showing reverence

    a pilgrimage is a reverential act, performed by reverent people
"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

Other Word Forms

  • nonreverential adjective
  • nonreverentially adverb
  • reverentiality noun
  • reverentially adverb
  • reverentialness noun
  • unreverential adjective
  • unreverentially adverb

Etymology

Origin of reverential

First recorded in 1545–55; reverent + -ial

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But fairs emphasized the typical, not the singular; the popular, not the elite; the commercial, not the reverential.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

I think there's a reverential approach that is just as, if not more, valuable.

From Salon • Apr. 26, 2025

It’s less reverential and more instinctual, despite its reliance on historical fact.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2024

This geometry, a reverential homage to Courreges’ founding vision, was reimagined through di Felice’s contemporary eye.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 28, 2024

“So it’s Permian and Midland Lee in the playoffs,” said Baldwin in a reverential whisper.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.