reverential

adjective

rev·​er·​en·​tial ˌre-və-ˈren(t)-shəl 

1

: expressing or having a quality of reverence

reverential awe

2

: inspiring reverence

reverentially

ˌre-və-ˈren(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of reverential in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Based on Elijah Wald’s hour-by-hour countdown Dylan Goes Electric!, James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown is a quirky, engaging and (thankfully) never reverential biopic that tracks the journey of Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) from acoustic folk to rock amplification. —Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Feb. 2025

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

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin reverentiālis, from Latin reverentia reverence entry 1 + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for reverential

• consequential
• deferential
• evidential
• existential
• exponential
• influential
• nonessential
• penitential
• precedential
• preferential
• presidential
• providential

Kids Definition

reverential

adjective

rev·​er·​en·​tial ˌrev-ə-ˈren-chəl 

1

: showing or having a quality of reverence

2

: inspiring reverence

reverentially

-ˈrench-(ə-)lē 

adverb