venerate
Americanverb (used with object)
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venerates,
present (3rd person singular)
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venerated,
past participle, past
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venerating
present participle
verb
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to hold in deep respect; revere
-
to honour in recognition of qualities of holiness, excellence, wisdom, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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veneratesimple
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veneratessimple
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have veneratedperfect
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has veneratedperfect
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am veneratingprogressive
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are veneratingprogressive
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is veneratingprogressive
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have been veneratingperfect progressive
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has been veneratingperfect progressive
Past
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veneratedsimple
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had veneratedperfect
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was veneratingprogressive
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were veneratingprogressive
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had been veneratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of venerate
1615–25; < Latin venerātus, past participle of venerārī to solicit the goodwill of (a god), worship, revere, verbal derivative of vener-, stem of venus, presumably in its original sense “desire”; see Venus)
Explanation
To venerate is to worship, adore, be in awe of. You probably don't venerate your teacher or boss; however, you may act like you do! The word hasn't come far from its Latin roots in venerari, "to worship." Although you can certainly venerate a deity, a person can deserve it, too. We don't usually venerate our friends: instead, we usually save this feeling for deities or remarkable people who inspire awe. Mother Teresa was venerated for her work with the poor, and Gandhi was venerated for his efforts for peace, but most people aren't venerated for normal stuff like taking out the trash or hanging out on a Saturday.
Vocabulary lists containing venerate
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
That made it an object to venerate as well as a beacon amid political storms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Affectionate fans venerate the dialogue’s electric crackle and the cast’s peerless comedic timing.
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2026
The trillion-dollar pay package has its roots in Musk’s desire to control 25% of Tesla stock, so he can’t be pushed out, even though most long-time Tesla investors and his board venerate his leadership.
From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2025
It is, however, one reason why we venerate the founders.
From Slate ● May 8, 2024
“Oh? And how does this authority venerate my father?”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
His considerable height, lean frame and beard only added to the sense that, at least in spirit, Mr. Glass has succeeded in summoning the man he so clearly venerates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
Boy Gru venerates these villains and wants to join them.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 29, 2022
He not only follows in the footsteps of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King; he venerates him, often invoking him, and actively seeks to extend his work.
From New York Times ● Mar. 9, 2022
Xi wants to be both a visionary reformer who will secure the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese people," and a virtuous traditionalist who venerates China's cultural heritage and studies the lessons of his imperial predecessors.
From Salon ● Feb. 13, 2021
No matter how deeply one venerates Priestley, or how great honor is ascribed to him, the question continues why the simpler French view was not adopted by this honest student.
From Priestley in America 1794-1804 by Edgar Fahs Smith
Chavéz, whom the lawsuit called “a folk saint,” has been venerated across California for decades, with scores of schools, streets, parks and public buildings named in his honor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
More bluntly, for many outside the tech world, these companies will be birthed as the bad guys, a remarkable swing from the early 2010s when founders were venerated as cultural heroes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
The clause survives as decoration: incorporated, venerated, and incapable of stopping a single seizure.
From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026
The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, an 11th-century monastery with emblematic golden domes, is venerated by both the Russian and Ukrainian wings of the Orthodox Church as one of their most important spiritual centres.
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
“This dog is Gwenforte, of Ville Sainte-Geneviève. She has been venerated there as a saint ever since her martyrdom ten years ago.”
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
The U.S.-influenced counterculture of the 1960s inverted the social order, venerating indigenous folkways and fueling aspirations for full independence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026
At the Butovo firing range, a Stalin-era execution site near Moscow that has become a shrine to his victims, visiting Russians warned against venerating the wartime leader or emulating his ideas.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2025
The themes of performances at Mr Gopalakrishnan's house include honouring a deified ancestor, venerating a warrior-hunter deity, and worshipping tiger spirits symbolising strength and protection.
From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2024
“This dance is native and we have been venerating the Virgin for more than 50 years,” Vázquez said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 15, 2023
The arms at attention, the eyes ever lowered, a venerating bend to his head.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
