Revere
verbBase revere · Past revered · Past Participle revered · Present Participle revering · 3rd person reveres
Definition
1. (verb) To deeply respect and admire someone or something — to feel a strong sense of honour and almost sacred appreciation.
Context Alive
You visit your grandmother's village and notice that everyone talks about the old schoolteacher who retired twenty years ago. People still call him "sir" when they see him at the market. Your grandmother says he taught three generations of the same families and never missed a single day. The whole village reveres him — not because he's famous or powerful, but because he gave his entire life to their children's education.
Meanings
1 meanings 1 To Deeply Respect and Admire (Verb) Common ▼
This meaning is about feeling a level of respect that goes beyond just liking or admiring someone — it's closer to awe, almost treating the person or thing as sacred. Imagine a young footballer who grew up watching his favourite player on TV every weekend. That player shaped the way he sees the sport, inspired him to train harder, and became his ultimate role model. He doesn't just admire that player — he reveres him. This is describing deep, lasting respect that borders on devotion. You might read that "Nelson Mandela is revered around the world" in a history article about leaders who changed society, or someone could say "she reveres her grandmother" about a person who sees their grandparent as the wisest person they've ever known. Or think about a culture where certain traditions have been practised for centuries — the people revere those customs and would never dream of abandoning them. The word suggests the respect is profound, sincere, and often passed down through generations.
✏️ Revered as an adjective is more common than the base verb: "a revered leader," "a revered institution," "a revered tradition." It means someone or something that is deeply respected by many people. The noun form is reverence: "they spoke about her with reverence." Revere is stronger than "respect" or "admire" — it implies something almost holy or untouchable about the person or thing.
Common Patterns
Basic Structures
revere + someone/something → to deeply respect a specific person or thing
The students revere their professor for his wisdom and kindness.
be revered (as/for) → to be deeply respected by many people — the most common form
She is revered as one of the greatest scientists of her generation.
widely / deeply revered → respected by a very large number of people or to a very deep degree
The temple is deeply revered by locals and visitors alike.
Common Structures
a revered + noun → describing someone or something held in the highest respect
He was a revered figure in the world of jazz music.
revere someone for + noun/verb-ing → specifies the reason for the deep respect
People revere her for dedicating her life to the community.
with reverence → the noun form — treating something with deep, careful respect
They spoke about the old tradition with great reverence.
Collocations
10 collocationswidely revered
deeply respected by many people across a wide area
deeply revered
respected to a profound, almost sacred degree
a revered figure
a person who is held in the highest respect by a community
a revered leader
a leader admired with deep, lasting respect
a revered tradition
a custom treated with great honour and passed down carefully
a revered institution
an organisation held in high esteem over a long period
revered by many
respected deeply by a large number of people
revere someone's memory
to deeply honour and respect someone who has passed away
with reverence
with deep, careful respect — the noun form in use
revered and loved
both deeply respected and genuinely cared for
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
Nelson Mandela is revered around the world for his fight against injustice.
Nelson Mandela is deeply respected globally for standing up against unfairness.
2
The coach is revered by every player who has ever trained under him.
Every athlete who has worked with the coach holds him in the highest respect.
3
In Japan, the art of tea-making is a revered tradition that goes back centuries.
In Japan, the tea ceremony is a deeply honoured custom with hundreds of years of history.
4
She reveres her grandfather — she says he's the wisest person she's ever known.
She has the deepest respect for her grandfather — she considers him the smartest person in her life.
5
The university is a revered institution that has produced some of the world's greatest minds.
The university is a highly respected establishment that has educated some of the planet's top thinkers.
6
He is revered as a national hero for his role in the independence movement.
He is honoured as a hero of the nation for his part in the fight for independence.
7
The community reveres the old church and refuses to let anyone demolish it.
The local people hold the old church in such high respect that they won't allow it to be knocked down.
8
Her paintings are revered in the art world, though she never became famous during her lifetime.
Her artwork is deeply admired by the art community, even though she wasn't well known while she was alive.
9
They spoke about their late father with great reverence and obvious pride.
They talked about their deceased father with deep respect and clear pride.
10
Few writers are as revered as Shakespeare — his work has shaped English literature for centuries.
Very few authors are as deeply respected as Shakespeare — his writing has influenced English literature for hundreds of years.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsadmire
lighter and more common — respecting someone without the sacred, almost holy tone
worship
even stronger — can imply blind devotion, sometimes used for religious contexts
venerate
very close in meaning — equally formal, often used for religious figures or traditions
Antonymsdespise
to feel strong hatred and zero respect for someone
disrespect
to show a lack of respect — the direct opposite of revering
mock
to make fun of someone instead of honouring them