reverential

adjective

rev·​er·​en·​tial ˌre-və-ˈren(t)-shəl How to pronounce reverential (audio)
Synonyms of reverentialnext
1
: expressing or having a quality of reverence
reverential awe
2
: inspiring reverence
reverentially
ˌre-və-ˈren(t)-sh(ə-)lē How to pronounce reverential (audio)
adverb

Examples of reverential in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The choice was pragmatic as much as reverential. — Andy Hazel, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2026 Penguins players lingered on the ice, hoping for a reverential handshake. — Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 12 Apr. 2026 But Marshals the standalone spinoff takes a backseat to Marshals the reverential sequel. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026 Japan’s players, initially reverential to the point of deference in Zico’s presence, came out of their shells. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for reverential

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of reverential was circa 1555

Rhymes for reverential

See All Rhymes for reverential

Browse Nearby Words

reverent
reverential
reverer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reverential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverential. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

reverential

adjective
rev·​er·​en·​tial ˌrev-ə-ˈren-chəl How to pronounce reverential (audio)
1
: showing or having a quality of reverence
2
: inspiring reverence
reverentially
-ˈrench-(ə-)lē How to pronounce reverential (audio)
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on reverential

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for reverential

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All