worshipful

adjective

wor·​ship·​ful ˈwər-shəp-fəl How to pronounce worshipful (audio)
 also  ˈwȯr-
1
a
archaic : notable, distinguished
b
chiefly British
used as a title for various persons or groups of rank or distinction
2
: giving or expressing worship or veneration
worshipfully
ˈwər-shəp-fə-lē How to pronounce worshipful (audio)
 also  ˈwȯr-
adverb
worshipfulness noun

Examples of worshipful in a Sentence

She was greeted by thousands of worshipful fans. a movie fan's worshipful stare upon finally meeting her idol
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.
In a country given to worshipful talk of Founding Fathers, this is not a new subject on the political stage. Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2024 Today, Robeson is remembered as an ascendant figure in any cultural history of America in the twentieth century, the subject of thick biographies, the inspiration for academic conferences, and the topic of worshipful documentaries. Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2024 Last year, eight films scored A+; the only ones that didn’t target right-wing film fans were concert films from Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, both of whom have their own worshipful fan bases. Tom Brueggemann, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2024 Moon’s memoir is a self-portrait of an insecure and often confused child, worshipful of the absent father and thirsty for maternal affection. Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for worshipful 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "deserving honor or respect, of noble character, worthy of veneration," from wurðscip, worschip "honor, esteem, renown, veneration, rank" + -ful -ful entry 1 — more at worship entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of worshipful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near worshipful

Cite this Entry

“Worshipful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/worshipful. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

worshipful

adjective
wor·​ship·​ful ˈwər-shəp-fəl How to pronounce worshipful (audio)
: giving worship

More from Merriam-Webster on worshipful

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