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 French President Emmanuel Macron venerated Carter for speaking for those without much voice, and other world leaders praised Carter for promoting peace and human rights. —

Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 30 Dec. 2024 Our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long (at least since the 90s and likely longer). —

Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2024 The first woman to lead Mexico is also Mexico's first president of Jewish ancestry, notable in a country whose Spanish colonial roots are Catholic and millions venerate the Virgin of Guadalupe. —

Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 1 Oct. 2024 Cacao was used by the pre-Columbian populations of the Maya and Aztecs, who venerated it as a sacred food. —

Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for venerate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for venerate

Verb

One common misconception about Hinduism, according to Hindu devotees who spoke with the Miami Herald, is that Hindus worship idols instead of worshiping one God.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 19 Jan. 2025
In the Eighties, The Golden Girls was worshipped by many kids and teens for whom the idea of retiring to Florida wasn’t even a dot on the horizon.

— Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 Jan. 2025