WORSHIP Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'worship' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of worship are adore , reverence , revere , and venerate . While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony. // worships their memory

Q: In what contexts can 'adore' take the place of 'worship'?

The synonyms adore and worship are sometimes interchangeable, but adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment. // we adored our doctor

Q: When can 'revere' be used instead of 'worship'?

In some situations, the words revere and worship are roughly equivalent. However, revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling. // a professor revered by her students

Q: When could 'reverence' be used to replace 'worship'?

The words reverence and worship can be used in similar contexts, but reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring. // reverenced the academy's code of honor

Q: When is 'venerate' a more appropriate choice than 'worship'?

While the synonyms venerate and worship are close in meaning, venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age. // heroes still venerated

worship 1 of 2

noun

Definition of worship

as in adoration

excessive admiration of or devotion to a person the worship of professional athletes who often turn out to be all too fallible

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worship

2 of 2

verb

ˈwər-shəp

as in to venerate

to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power the ancient Greeks worshipped many different gods

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as in to love

to feel passion, devotion, or tenderness for the new father worships his baby daughter, and would do anything for her

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as in to adore

to love or admire too much thought that some of her fellow senior citizens worshipped the old days too much, observing that they weren't all good

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How does the verb worship differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of worship are adore, reverence, revere, and venerate. While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony.

worships their memory

In what contexts can adore take the place of worship?

The synonyms adore and worship are sometimes interchangeable, but adore implies love and stresses the notion of an individual and personal attachment.

we adored our doctor

When can revere be used instead of worship?

In some situations, the words revere and worship are roughly equivalent. However, revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling.

a professor revered by her students

When could reverence be used to replace worship?

The words reverence and worship can be used in similar contexts, but reverence presupposes an intrinsic merit and inviolability in the one honored and a similar depth of feeling in the one honoring.

reverenced the academy's code of honor

When is venerate a more appropriate choice than worship?

While the synonyms venerate and worship are close in meaning, venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age.

heroes still venerated

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 worship

Noun

Alderman maintains that each of the defendants have continued to lie to protect themselves and believes there is evidence of satanic worship. — Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2026 Rather than end image worship, the internet franchised it, which makes Siren feel unexpectedly prophetic. — Raven Smith, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026

Verb

During the days leading up to Vijayadashami, the goddess Durga is worshipped in her various forms as Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026 The first Christians worshipped primarily in each other’s homes. — John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for worship

Recent Examples of Synonyms for worship

Noun

His face appearing on the big screen was naturally greeted by cheers of adoration from the stands and would normally have been a pure reason to smile.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
The filmmaker was showered with love and adoration by appreciative fans.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of adoration

Verb

Reed, venerated for his solo artistry and collaborations with the Velvet Underground, is a quintessential New York City artist of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
The kids who venerate McQueen as a fashion figurehead these days, after all, are likely to be found at the Cyberdog, just like McGirr once was.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of venerate

Verb

The theme of Season 2, Harjo says, is to figure out how to love yourself — and how that love will extend to everyone else in your life.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Always one for a picture-perfect moment of her family, Joan loved to put the kids in matching outfits while entertaining guests at home.

— Megan Johnson, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of love

Verb

An outgoing kid from the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, who adored his little sister, Burch never regained consciousness.

— Brittany Shammas, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
No other branch takes such delight in going its own way, regularly giving a cold shoulder to titles the rest of the industry adores.

— Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of adore

Noun

They may have been kept open throughout the year for rituals commemorating important dates and festivals, as well as the worshipping of the dead.

— Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
This, too, is a marvel of the modern Jewish state – the unusual multitasking of commuting and worshipping.

— Ben Corn, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of worshipping

Verb

Written with the intimacy of a conversation among loved ones, Someday, Now invites readers to sit with loss while still reverencing the beauty of life, parenting, and letting our children flourish.

— Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
But Pi is precociously enlightened, his innocence not a problem to be rectified but a quality to be reverenced.

— Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025

Definition of reverence

Verb

Terry Kay liked to tell the story of how he was coerced into writing his first novel by Pat Conroy, who told his literary agent Kay had written a brilliant manuscript.

— Suzanne Van Atten, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
And yet, when CNN Sports asked to speak with people who bet on sports but don’t like prediction markets partnering with sports leagues, teams or athletes themselves, Allison was among the dozens of fans who reached out.

— Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of like

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“Worship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/worship. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of worship

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verb

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Synonyms of worship

noun

verb

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More from Merriam-Webster on worship

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

vocation

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

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Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

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Games & Quizzes