Venerate

Definition

To regard with great respect, admiration, or reverence, especially in a religious or reverential context; to honor deeply.

Beyond the definition

Venerate is respect elevated to something close to devotion. You admire a colleague; you venerate an ancestor. You respect a teacher; you venerate a tradition. The word carries the quality of looking upward — of something that has earned not just regard, but a kind of sanctity.

Origin & history

From Latin venerari ('to revere, worship'), from Venus (the goddess of love and grace). To offer something the same warmth one offers love.

Example sentences

Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.

The community venerated the elders whose wisdom had guided them through difficulty.

She venerated the ritual not as superstition but as a thread connecting her to her grandmother.

How to use it

This entry uses a verb. Follow the examples for tense and any objects or prepositions it needs.

Choose “Venerate” when the meaning fits your context: To regard with great respect, admiration, or reverence, especially in a religious or reverential context; to honor deeply.

Synonyms

revere, honor, worship, esteem, exalt

Antonyms

disrespect, despise, scorn, desecrate

Related words

• revere
• honor
• worship
• adore

Venerate vs revere

Revere implies deep respect and admiration — a strong, genuine esteem for someone or something. Venerate adds a quasi-religious quality: to venerate is to hold in a kind of sacred regard, to treat with the devotion one might offer a relic or a saint. You revere a great teacher; you venerate an ancestor or a tradition. Both look upward, but venerate looks up from further below. Revere is about profound respect; venerate is respect elevated to devotion.

Word in the Wild

See how this word appears in life, language and stories.

Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.

Fictional scene

Revering the ancient forest entrance

An adult stands at the edge of an ancient forest, carrying a glowing talisman that illuminates the sacred space ahead.

The act of approaching the forest with a talisman and a sense of gravity represents veneration. This illustrates the deep, reverential respect one feels when entering a place that demands honor and profound, careful attention.

Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration

Questions about this word

What does "Venerate" mean?

Venerate is verb meaning: To regard with great respect and reverence.. To regard with great respect, admiration, or reverence, especially in a religious or reverential context; to honor deeply.

Where does the word "Venerate" come from?

From Latin venerari ('to revere, worship'), from Venus (the goddess of love and grace). To offer something the same warmth one offers love.