irreverence
Americannoun
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the quality of being irreverent; lack of reverence or respect.
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an irreverent act or statement.
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the condition of not being reverenced, venerated, respected, etc.
noun
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lack of due respect or veneration; disrespect
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a disrespectful remark or act
Etymology
Origin of irreverence
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word irreverentia. See ir- 2, reverence
Explanation
Look into the word irreverence and you'll see the verb revere, which means to admire, worship, or look up to. Irreverence, then, is the opposite: viewing something as not worthy of admiration. The thing about irreverence is that you display it towards things that normally would call for reverence, such as a leader, a teacher, or a superstar. It's useless to show irreverence towards, say, a stray dog or a friend who's failed their driver's test the second time. Reserve irreverence for situations in which the object of your irreverence would normally inspire reverence. Addressing the president as "Dude" is the height of irreverence.
Vocabulary lists containing irreverence
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 2
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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.
Yet while the basic gesture of translation is reverent, sometimes a foxy irreverence yields pleasing results.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
What stands out in Annie is its relaxed, unvarnished portrait of student life: messy hostel rooms, friends lounging on charpoys smoking and arguing about everything from bureaucracy to exams, and a breezy irreverence toward authority.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026
That irreverence is something Lighton sensed from their first conversation.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026
"He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language," it said.
From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025
Not the paws of a leopard walking upright, turned against men by irreverence.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
