worship

[ wur-ship ]

/ ˈwɜr ʃɪp /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: worship / worshiped / worshipped / worshipping on Thesaurus.com

noun

reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.

formal or ceremonious rendering of such honor and homage: They attended worship this morning.

adoring reverence or regard: excessive worship of business success.

the object of adoring reverence or regard.

(initial capital letter)British. a title of honor used in addressing or mentioning certain magistrates and others of high rank or station (usually preceded by Your,His, or Her).

verb (used with object), wor·shiped, wor·ship·ing or wor·shipped, wor·ship·ping.

to render religious reverence and homage to.

to feel an adoring reverence or regard for (any person or thing).

verb (used without object), wor·shiped, wor·ship·ing or wor·shipped, wor·ship·ping.

to render religious reverence and homage, as to a deity.

to attend services of divine worship.

to feel an adoring reverence or regard.

OTHER WORDS FOR worship

3 honor, homage, adoration, idolatry.

7 honor, venerate, revere, adore, glorify, idolize, adulate.

See synonyms for worship on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of worship

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun wors(c)hipe, worthssipe, Old English worthscipe, variant of weorthscipe; Middle English verb derivative of the noun; see origin at worth¹, -ship

OTHER WORDS FROM worship

wor·ship·er, wor·ship·per, nounwor·ship·ing·ly, adverbmis·wor·ship, verb, mis·wor·shiped, mis·wor·ship·ing or mis·wor·shipped, mis·wor·ship·ping.pre·wor·ship, noun, verb, pre·wor·shiped, pre·wor·ship·ing or pre·wor·shipped, pre·wor·ship·ping.

self-wor·ship, nounself-wor·ship·er, self-wor·ship·per, nounself-wor·ship·ing, self-wor·ship·ping, adjectiveun·wor·shiped, un·wor·shipped, adjectiveun·wor·ship·ing, un·wor·ship·ping, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use worship in a sentence

It’s hard to imagine people treating objects of worship so casually, tossing them out rather than placing them reverentially in wall displays the way they did their ancestors’ skulls.
What archaeologists got wrong about female statues, goddesses, and fertility|Annalee Newitz|February 10, 2021|Popular-Science
Founded by Melanie Few, SBGC is known for welcoming the living legends of music for a night of praise and worship.
First Look: Erica Campbell Performs With The Super Bowl Gospel Choir|Brande Victorian|February 5, 2021|Essence.com
Clinton, governing at the height of worship of the former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan and his laissez-faire vision, had to please Wall Street and the bond market.
The Return of the Regulators|by Jesse Eisinger|February 2, 2021|ProPublica
It is unclear whether the rules would also apply to tax-exempt places of worship such as churches or nonprofit health-care organizations such as Catholic hospitals.
Last-minute regulation would make religious businesses eligible for taxpayer-backed SBA loans|Aaron Gregg|January 20, 2021|Washington Post

Known as the Rod of Iron Ministries, the group is about as extreme as it gets in their worship of the President and his policies.
‘Everyone Thinks I’m a Terrorist’: Capitol Riot Fuels Calls for Domestic War on Terror|Simon Shuster|January 18, 2021|Time
Lost co-creator and Harry Potter worshiper Damon Lindelof expected to love Deathly Hallows.
Oh No, 'Harry' Bored Me!|Damon Lindelof|November 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Lost co-creator and Harry Potter worshiper, Damon Lindelof, expected to love Deathly Hallows.
Oh No, 'Harry' Bored Me!|Damon Lindelof|November 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST
"Pray forgive me for the nonsense I have talked," said the hero-worshiper, clasping his hands and about to fall on his knees.
Balsamo, The Magician|Alexander Dumas
Within the twelvemonth I became her worshiper; and ours was the dearest and perfectest comradeship that ever was.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
His chosen place was in the sunshine, for this bird is a sun-worshiper.
In Nesting Time|Olive Thorne Miller
His eyes fairly danced as he observed first one absorbed worshiper, and then another, intent upon the song.
The Witness|Grace Livingston Hill Lutz
The mob, even disregarding its insatiable appetite for the improper, is a natural hero worshiper.
Damn!|Henry Louis Mencken

British Dictionary definitions for worship (1 of 2)

worship

/ (ˈwɜːʃɪp) /

verb -ships, -shipping or -shipped or US -ships, -shiping or -shiped

(tr) to show profound religious devotion and respect to; adore or venerate (God or any person or thing considered divine)

(tr) to be devoted to and full of admiration for

(intr) to have or express feelings of profound adoration

(intr) to attend services for worship

(tr) obsolete to honour

noun

religious adoration or devotion

the formal expression of religious adoration; rites, prayers, etc

admiring love or devotion

archaic dignity or standing

Derived forms of worship

worshipable, adjectiveworshipper, noun

Word Origin for worship

Old English weorthscipe, from worth 1 + -ship

British Dictionary definitions for worship (2 of 2)

Worship

/ (ˈwɜːʃɪp) /

noun

mainly British (preceded by Your, His, or Her) a title used to address or refer to a mayor, magistrate, or a person of similar high rank

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

worship

OTHER WORDS FOR worship

Origin of worship

OTHER WORDS FROM worship

Words related to worship

How to use worship in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for worship (1 of 2)

Derived forms of worship

Word Origin for worship

British Dictionary definitions for worship (2 of 2)