VENERATE Synonyms: 47 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of venerate are adore , reverence , revere , and worship . While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age. // heroes still venerated

Q: Where would 'adore' be a reasonable alternative to 'venerate'?

The synonyms adore and venerate 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 'venerate'?

While in some cases nearly identical to venerate , revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling. // a professor revered by her students

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

Although the words reverence and venerate have much in common, 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: In what contexts can 'worship' take the place of 'venerate'?

In some situations, the words worship and venerate are roughly equivalent. However, worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony. // worships their memory

venerate

verb

ˈve-nə-ˌrāt

Definition of venerate next

as in to worship

to offer honor or respect to (someone) as a divine power a proper setting in which to venerate God

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb venerate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of venerate are adore, reverence, revere, and worship. While all these words mean "to honor and admire profoundly and respectfully," venerate implies a holding as holy or sacrosanct because of character, association, or age.

heroes still venerated

Where would adore be a reasonable alternative to venerate?

The synonyms adore and venerate 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 venerate?

While in some cases nearly identical to venerate, revere stresses deference and tenderness of feeling.

a professor revered by her students

When is reverence a more appropriate choice than venerate?

Although the words reverence and venerate have much in common, 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

In what contexts can worship take the place of venerate?

In some situations, the words worship and venerate are roughly equivalent. However, worship implies homage usually expressed in words or ceremony.

worships their memory

Examples 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 venerate The word is divine; God is best worshipped by venerating his language. —

Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 The people would create saints out of their ancestors and venerate them under the disguise of religion. —

Damien Scott, Billboard, 3 Oct. 2024 This Cats has introduced us to a community that pointedly loves and venerates its elders — its survivors — and Grizabella’s name even appears at the end of a post-intermission slideshow paying tribute to the real founding mothers of the ball world’s iconic houses. —

Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 June 2024 During the first millennium, people from southern Mexico to western Honduras venerated him as a god of agriculture, lightning and royalty. —

James L. Fitzsimmons, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for venerate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for venerate

Verb

None of this will be a revelation to video art enthusiasts, who have long worshipped at Steina’s feet.

Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Vulture Cultures Ian Rose April 10, 2024 By turns worshipped and reviled, the bird frequently associated with death has appeared in art works for thousands of years.

The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 27 Dec. 2024