IRREVERENCE Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

irreverence

noun

i-ˈre-v(ə-)rən(t)s

Definition of irreverence

as in blasphemy

an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things the sect has no tolerance for any irreverence directed toward their spiritual leader

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of irreverence But also to the success speaking to a desire for authenticity and irreverence. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026 But who doesn’t want to celebrate the legendary singer’s lifelong philanthropy, literacy efforts and sheer irreverence? — Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026 The jury noted the film, which had its world premiere at Oldenburg, was made without a budget and praised the resourcefulness that constraint produced, comparing its tone to the irreverence of 1990s comedies. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026 Uniting these jokes is a streak of playful irreverence, a facility for tempering challenging ideas with American cultural references, and a reluctance to provide more explanation than necessary. — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irreverence

Recent Examples of Synonyms for irreverence

Noun

Or a plot to divert attention from Murphy’s blasphemy of her famously lucky number 13?

— Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
That might have sounded like blasphemy just half a decade ago, but college football is always evolving, and Swinney is a man stuck in time.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of blasphemy

Noun

Advertisement To the Eagle Family, these scenes were sacrilege.

— Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
While this might seem like capitalist sacrilege, Gearin says there’s historical precedent for Indigenous peoples using plant medicine as a tool to navigate the practical demands of the world.

— Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of sacrilege

Noun

And unlike state authorities who can be sued for civil rights violations in state courts, federal law enforcement authorities are generally shielded from such lawsuits based on legal precedents.

— Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Chicago should provide workable loading zones, preserve first-offense warnings, and publicly report whether violations and crashes actually decline.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of violation

Noun

The gang steals sacred objects, but their movements around them can resemble ceremony not desecration.

— Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
These are two examples of politicians' truths among a plethora of others that are really lies, distortions, deceptions and desecrations of the citizens' trust in them.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of desecration

Noun

Seeman was caught on camera cursing at McBride during the Cardinals’ loss at the New York Giants.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Paxton had argued that the law-school clinic was not a classroom but a workplace, and that Fisher was punished not for expressing political views but because her cursing and volume had disrupted clinic business.

— Benjamin Wofford, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of cursing

Noun

Talarico’s success so far can partly be chalked up to voters’ apprehensions toward Paxton, who faced questions in his past over corruption, including being impeached by his own party in the Texas legislature.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Blagojevich was impeached, removed from office by a unanimous 59-0 Illinois Senate vote and convicted of federal corruption offenses.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of corruption

Noun

Try to remember that your teen’s eyes were focused squarely on the $100 prize and so this is an issue of overlooking rather than one of insult.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Yet in a land where machismo still reigns, it’s considered a rather severe insult.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of insult

Browse Nearby Words

irretrievable

irreverence

irreverences

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Style

“Irreverence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irreverence. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of irreverence

noun

Example Sentences

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