as in blasphemy
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
the sect has no tolerance for any irreverence directed toward their spiritual leader
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 irreverence
His sobering diagnosis, complete irreverence, and insatiable curiosity send him on an unexpected journey learning how to die happily and ridiculously without losing his sense of humor.
—
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Avoid letting humor or irreverence overshadow your goals.
—Jane Hanson, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Bringing in dramatic chromatics to reflect the couple’s charisma was a primary focus, as was toggling between Americana and gothic English design for a splash of irreverence suiting a rock star and supermodel.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 11 Dec. 2024
Image For decades, Southwest thrived by adhering to a simple model of low fares and good service, with a healthy dose of irreverence.
—Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irreverence
Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Avoid letting humor or irreverence overshadow your goals.
—Jane Hanson, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Bringing in dramatic chromatics to reflect the couple’s charisma was a primary focus, as was toggling between Americana and gothic English design for a splash of irreverence suiting a rock star and supermodel.
—Kathryn Romeyn, Architectural Digest, 11 Dec. 2024
Image For decades, Southwest thrived by adhering to a simple model of low fares and good service, with a healthy dose of irreverence.
—Niraj Chokshi, New York Times, 24 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irreverence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irreverence
Noun
-
Arguments and accusations of blasphemy regarding teaching yoga sutras rather than Bible scripture are rife within the Black yoga community.—
Tamika Caston-Miller,
Outside Online,
26 Feb. 2025
-
Throughout its engagement with the OIC, the special envoy has prioritized the protection of human rights, routinely championing the equal rights of religious minorities and opposing laws that criminalize blasphemy and apostasy.—
Arsalan Suleman,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Aug. 2017
Noun
-
Such a transformation would represent an irrevocable loss: a profound sacrilege not only to the city’s rich history but also to the cultural legacy for the future generations.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
23 Feb. 2025
-
For many liberals and radicals, beginning with Lord Byron, Elgin was a vandal who had committed sacrilege.—
Ralph Leonard,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The violations for each of the officers included standard of conduct violations, death investigation procedure violations and report preparation violations.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Poppy Alexander, a partner at Whistleblower Partners who represents whistleblowers reporting corporate FCPA violations, echoes this thinking.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
To Michael Hirsch, the desecration of hundreds of graves was a shanda, a shame, a ghoulish crime.—
Maria Cramer,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
-
The killing and desecration of Laura continues resonating throughout the original show’s 30 episode run, even as Agent Cooper and the local police branch away from it and begin dealing with local corruption and assorted personal melodramas.—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
By one hand, he is bound to himself, to his impiety, his recklessness, his envy and pride, his guilt and spite.—
Merve Emre,
The New Yorker,
16 Dec. 2024
-
Clouzot supplied that insight in strong visual terms: Fresnay’s conflicting impiety and righteous anger and so much dissatisfaction and panic among the townsfolk.—
Armond White,
National Review,
20 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
But Bondi is also overseeing cuts within her building, including to the Public Integrity Section that takes on corruption cases against public officials, according to multiple media reports and confirmed by a former Justice Department official.—
David Catanese,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2025
-
Compassionate Release of Nick Bovis Nick Bovis, a former San Francisco restaurateur, pleaded guilty to Honest Services and Insurance Wire Fraud in a political corruption case.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The previous time Lilian had seen Imelda, who was sitting next to her in London, was ten years earlier, when her children were alive, but with some people mindless small talk would be an insult.—
Yiyun Li,
The New Yorker,
9 Mar. 2025
-
That’s because Trump’s approach isn’t just an insult to Zelensky but to Ukraine itself and its institution of national leadership.—
Illia Ponomarenko,
TIME,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; ’Twere profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love.—
John Edgar Wideman,
The New Yorker,
8 July 2021
-
The first assault is on the Nile itself, which is turned to blood, thereby ruining both agriculture and aquaculture in one swoop, a profanation with religious consequences.—
Kevin D. Williamson,
National Review,
28 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Irreverence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irreverence. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share