reverend 1 of 2

adjective

ˈrev-rənd How to pronounce reverend (audio)
Definition of reverendnext
as in venerable
deserving honor and respect especially by reason of age our reverend elders should be accorded a special place of honor at the ceremonies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reverend

2 of 2

noun

as in priest
a person specially trained and authorized to conduct religious services in a Christian church called their reverend and asked if he could marry them next June

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 reverend
Adjective
No one was a better fit for the job to officiate Richie and Madden's 2010 wedding than the Run DMC frontman, who is a reverend IRL. — Grace Gavilanes, Peoplemag, 23 Aug. 2022 There before the reverend mother and God, the police (wielding rifles) and the butchers (wielding a cow trailer) managed to corral two of the steers. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 13 Mar. 2022
Noun
However, Firecracker was too invested in her beliefs in Homelander and told the reverend to accept him as God. — Staff Author, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026 Curry said Firecracker is a lonely character, and her reverend is the only person on the show who sees and loves her earnestly. — Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reverend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reverend
  1. venerable
  2. priest
  3. revered
  4. preacher
  5. venerated
  6. clergyman
  7. respectable
  8. deacon
Adjective
  • As for the plane in question, this is a variant of the venerable F-16 and is a heavily modernized version featuring, among other features, APG-83 Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
  • But the venerable Atlas V is out of production and on the road to retirement, so Starliner-5 and Starliner-6 will have a different rocket ride — ULA's new Vulcan Centaur.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of venerable
Noun
  • In the foreground of the painting rises a lone umbrella pine; at its base are the tiny figures of a priest and a young girl.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Trending Video At the time, Frederick and his husband, William, a priest, were living in church housing.
    — Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of priest
Adjective
  • The temple has long been a revered institution in Thailand, where the majority of the population are Buddhist, but its image has been dented by the financial scandal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Eva Marie Saint, a revered actress whose two preeminent performances — On the Waterfront and North by Northwest — encapsulated the glories of the 1950s’ Hollywood studio system, died on Tuesday.
    — Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of revered
Noun
  • The film chronicled Gortner’s youth as a Pentecostal preacher in the American South and exposed the deceptive practices used to bilk believers out of their money.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In the halcyon days of the televangelists, when Jim Bakker stood shoulder to shoulder with fire and brimstone preachers such as Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and Jimmy Swaggart, the collection plate always seemed bottomless.
    — Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of preacher
Adjective
  • The venerated Oscar-winning, 88-year-old actress and activist wore a long-sleeve maxidress with twisted fabric at the base of the neckline and allover sparkle embellished into the fabric.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The site remains a venerated Buddhist shrine used for local worship.
    — Jack Tydeman, Travel + Leisure, 26 July 2026
Definition of venerated
Noun
  • The seeds are then planted in California, where Eddie Anderson, a clergyman, political organizer and the founder of Freedom Farms Collective, helps oversee their growth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Costco ditches its Kirkland beer Pope Leo XIV, who grew up listening to popular American television preacher Archbishop Fulton Sheen, praised his fellow Illinois clergyman as an inspiration today on the eve of Sheen’s beatification.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of clergyman
Adjective
  • Those are respectable numbers, but fans have been clamoring for more game-changing plays from a pass rusher who terrorized opposing offensive linemen during training camp.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Turning up the volume on their performance made Miami’s defense respectable for three quarters of Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of respectable
Noun
  • Then his neighbor, a deacon in his church, told him about a previous roommate who had died of cancer, and how he had recently been diagnosed himself.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Paden’s great-aunt, Dixie Wilson, talked of her great-nephew’s service as a junior deacon at the local New Market Christian Church.
    — Glenn Rice, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of deacon

Browse Nearby Words

reverencing
reverend
Reverend Mother
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Cite this Entry

“Reverend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reverend. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reverend

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reverend

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