awe
an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like: in awe of God; in awe of great political figures.
Archaic. power to inspire fear or reverence.
Obsolete. fear or dread.
to inspire with awe.
to influence or restrain by awe.
Origin of awe
1Other words for awe
Opposites for awe
Other words from awe
- outawe, verb (used with object), out·awed, out·aw·ing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use awe in a sentence
The delicacy of your highly cultivated mind awes even the violent passion which you inspire.
Camilla | Fanny BurneyIt dares not whimper when that forbids, and the nod of a prince awes it into silence and submission.
Andrew Marvell | Augustine BirrellI could stop and look at a little wayside stream for hours; and a pool—I never tire of it, though it awes me when I am alone.
Memoirs of Arthur Hamilton, B. A. Of Trinity College, Cambridge | Arthur Christopher BensonThe majesty of Francis I. no longer awes him as before, he becomes familiar with the object of his reverence.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 3 (of 10) | Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)The old graveyard, like the hoary tower, awes the mind and touches the heart.
Virginia: The Old Dominion | Frank W. Hutchins and Cortelle Hutchins
British Dictionary definitions for awe
/ (ɔː) /
overwhelming wonder, admiration, respect, or dread
archaic power to inspire fear or reverence
(tr) to inspire with reverence or dread
Origin of awe
1Derived forms of awe
- aweless or US awless, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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