as in blasphemy
an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
the sect has no tolerance for any irreverence directed toward their spiritual leader
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Recent Examples of irreverence
Shot through the lens of director Yorgos Lanthimos' darkly comedic irreverence, this is a (gloriously) nasty piece of work, and Colman is more than willing to get her hands dirty.
—
Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
His irreverence was much needed in a week full of repeating ideas, as was the impressive level up of his technique.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 14 Mar. 2026
Melissa has teamed up with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends once again to create a nostalgic and vibrant collection that merges Melissa’s irreverence with Sanrio’s playfulness.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
The celebrity game does keep score, but its audience is more concerned with overall flow and irreverence.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irreverence
Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
His irreverence was much needed in a week full of repeating ideas, as was the impressive level up of his technique.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 14 Mar. 2026
Melissa has teamed up with Sanrio’s Hello Kitty and Friends once again to create a nostalgic and vibrant collection that merges Melissa’s irreverence with Sanrio’s playfulness.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026
The celebrity game does keep score, but its audience is more concerned with overall flow and irreverence.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irreverence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irreverence
Noun
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For creatives, its use was treated like blasphemy.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
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Interreligious tension exists, with arbitrary detentions of Christians and arrests under the nation’s blasphemy laws.—
Mathew Schmalz,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But by then, religious and political leaders from around the world condemned the image, some calling it a sacrilege.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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That might sound like sacrilege, because the NFL is beyond criticism for many sports fans, but the draft is the ideal example of what the league has become and the importance of gambling to modern audiences.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Felicia Anderson, 39, is wanted on a half-dozen criminal counts, including first-degree assault, second-degree assault and weapons violations.—
Alexa Ashwell,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2026
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This is a brazen violation of international law.—
Lincoln Anderson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Gerlach is facing nearly 500 charges — including burglary, abuse of a corpse and desecration of monuments — tied to a disturbing investigation at Mount Moriah Cemetery near Philadelphia, the outlet reported.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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Against desecration of our flag bill 4.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Even aside from Trump’s own enthusiastic personal immorality and impiety, his political style — the pugnacious smear artist and demagogic braggart — was the antithesis of what evangelicals had sought before.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
23 Sep. 2025
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By one hand, he is bound to himself, to his impiety, his recklessness, his envy and pride, his guilt and spite.—
Merve Emre,
The New Yorker,
16 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The event, organized by the Shelby County Republican Party, turned out a small crowd and was greeted by some supportive honks from motorists, but also some cursing at Trump from people in at least two cars passing by.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2026
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Premium cable, with its grit and cursing and nudity, is not the natural habitat of an actor who thrives on the chuckles of studio audiences.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Years later, drawn into a covert network of operatives and manipulated through a web of corruption, Clay must decide whether to become the weapon he was shaped to be or dismantle the system from within.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
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He was also charged in another foreign corruption case in the same court in late 2024.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The president has spent a decade calling his rivals communists and traitors, among other hyperbolic insults.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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According to Politico, the conversation was nothing but a tirade of insults.—
Tom Jurkowsky,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irreverence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irreverence. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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