Reverence vs. Awe — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 30, 2024
Reverence is deep respect for someone or something, while awe is a feeling of amazement, often mixed with fear or wonder.
Difference Between Reverence and Awe
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Reverence involves a profound respect and admiration, often related to a sense of sacredness or moral superiority. It's a feeling that compels one to show deep respect or honor towards someone or something. Awe, on the other hand, encompasses a broader spectrum of emotions, including wonder, amazement, and sometimes fear, inspired by witnessing something grand, powerful, or extraordinarily beautiful.
While reverence is often tied to cultural, religious, or social norms dictating expressions of honor towards specific entities, symbols, or institutions, awe is more of an involuntary response to encountering something that challenges the limits of one's understanding or perception. This can include natural wonders, acts of great courage, or artistic masterpieces.
Reverence often leads to behaviors governed by traditions, such as bowing, kneeling, or the use of formal language, as a way to demonstrate respect. Awe, however, might render someone speechless, overwhelmed, or even fearful, reflecting a spontaneous reaction rather than a controlled display of respect.
The experience of reverence can strengthen social bonds, fostering a shared sense of veneration towards a common figure or value. Awe, while it can also be shared, is deeply personal and varies greatly in its triggers and expressions, often leading to a profound sense of being part of something greater than oneself.
Reverence is typically directed towards entities or concepts that hold a long-standing significance within a community or culture, such as religious figures, elders, or sacred sites. Awe can be elicited by a wider range of experiences, from the vastness of the universe to a sudden realization or insight, without the need for cultural or historical context.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Emotion
Deep respect and admiration
Wonder, amazement, sometimes fear
Context
Often cultural, religious, moral
Broad, including natural phenomena, art, achievements
Expression
Formal, tradition-guided (e.g., bowing, kneeling)
Spontaneous, overwhelming
Social Aspect
Strengthens social bonds, shared veneration
Personal, varies in triggers and expressions
Focus
Directed towards entities of long-standing significance
Triggered by a wide range of experiences
Compare with Definitions
Reverence
Deep respect for someone or something.
The soldier saluted the flag with reverence.
Awe
Response to something overwhelming in beauty or scale.
The vastness of the night sky left them in awe.
Reverence
Expression of admiration and respect.
She spoke of her mentor with great reverence.
Awe
A state of wonder, often leading to inspiration.
His speech about space exploration left the audience in awe.
Reverence
A respectful gesture or act.
The ceremony included a moment of reverence for the fallen heroes.
Awe
A feeling of wonder and amazement.
The grandeur of the mountains filled him with awe.
Reverence
Feeling of regard for the sacredness of something.
He entered the ancient temple in a state of reverence.
Awe
The feeling experienced when confronted with something sublime.
Watching the eclipse, they were struck with a profound sense of awe.
Reverence
An act of showing profound honor.
In reverence, they lowered their heads during the prayer.
Awe
An emotion combining reverence, respect, and fear.
She stared in awe at the artwork's complexity.
Reverence
A feeling of profound awe and respect and often love.
Awe
Awe is an emotion comparable to wonder but less joyous. On Robert Plutchik's wheel of emotions awe is modeled as a combination of surprise and fear.
Reverence
An act showing respect, especially a bow or curtsy.
Awe
A feeling of respect or reverence mixed with dread and wonder, often inspired by something majestic or powerful
"There was a fierce purpose in the gale ... that seemed directed at him, and made him hold his breath in awe" (Joseph Conrad).
Reverence
Reverence Used as a form of address for certain members of the Christian clergy
Your Reverence.
Awe
The power to inspire dread.
Reverence
To consider or treat with profound awe and respect; venerate
"There was nobody whom she reverenced as she reverenced him" (Virginia Woolf).
Awe
Dread.
Reverence
Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.
Awe
To fill with awe
Tourists who are awed by the ancient monument.
Reverence
An act of showing respect, such as a bow.
Awe
A feeling of fear and reverence.
Reverence
The state of being revered.
Awe
A feeling of amazement.
Reverence
A form of address for some members of the clergy.
Your reverence
Awe
(archaic) Power to inspire awe.
Reverence
That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
Awe
(transitive) To inspire fear and reverence in.
Reverence
(transitive) To show or feel reverence to.
Awe
(transitive) To control by inspiring dread.
Reverence
Profound respect and esteem mingled with fear and affection, as for a holy being or place; the disposition to revere; veneration.
If thou be poor, farewell thy reverence.
Reverence, which is the synthesis of love and fear.
When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government islost.
Awe
Dread; great fear mingled with respect.
His frown was full of terror, and his voiceShook the delinquent with such fits of awe.
Reverence
The act of revering; a token of respect or veneration; an obeisance.
Make twenty reverences upon receiving . . . about twopence.
And each of them doeth all his diligenceTo do unto the feast reverence.
Awe
The emotion inspired by something dreadful and sublime; an undefined sense of the dreadful and the sublime; reverential fear, or solemn wonder; profound reverence.
There is an awe in mortals' joy,A deep mysterious fear.
To tame the pride of that power which held the Continent in awe.
The solitude of the desert, or the loftiness of the mountain, may fill the mind with awe - the sense of our own littleness in some greater presence or power.
Reverence
That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
I am forced to lay my reverence by.
Awe
To strike with fear and reverence; to inspire with awe; to control by inspiring dread.
That same eye whose bend doth awe the world.
His solemn and pathetic exhortation awed and melted the bystanders.
Reverence
A person entitled to be revered; - a title applied to priests or other ministers with the pronouns his or your; sometimes poetically to a father.
Such a one as a man may not speak of, without he say. "Sir reverence."
Now lies he there,And none so poor to do him reverence.
Awe
An overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration;
He stared over the edge with a feeling of awe
Reverence
To regard or treat with reverence; to regard with respect and affection mingled with fear; to venerate.
Let . . . the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Those that I reverence those I fear, the wise.
Awe
A profound emotion inspired by a deity;
The fear of God
Reverence
A profound emotion inspired by a deity;
The fear of God
Awe
Inspire awe in;
The famous professor awed the undergraduates
Reverence
A reverent mental attitude
Reverence
Regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of;
Fear God as your father
We venerate genius
Common Curiosities
Can awe be frightening?
Yes, awe can include a component of fear, especially when faced with something vastly beyond one's understanding.
What types of experiences can elicit awe?
Experiences ranging from natural wonders and artistic achievements to acts of great courage can elicit awe.
What causes a feeling of reverence?
Reverence is often caused by cultural, religious, or moral respect for someone or something.
Can a person feel both reverence and awe simultaneously?
Yes, it's possible to feel both emotions simultaneously, especially in contexts that involve both respect and amazement.
How does culture influence feelings of reverence?
Culture significantly influences what is considered worthy of reverence through traditions, beliefs, and values.
Can animals experience awe or reverence?
While animals can show signs of fear and social hierarchy, awe and reverence as complex emotions are typically considered human experiences.
Is awe always a positive experience?
Awe is not always positive; it can be overwhelming and include fear, especially in the face of the sublime or immense.
Why do some artworks inspire awe?
Artworks inspire awe through their beauty, scale, emotional depth, or the skill evident in their creation.
How do people express reverence?
Expressions of reverence can include formal gestures, such as bowing, kneeling, or the use of respectful language.
Is reverence the same as worship?
While reverence is a component of worship, worship involves more explicit acts of devotion and religious practices.
Can landscapes evoke awe?
Yes, natural landscapes, especially those of grand scale or beauty, are common sources of awe.
How do awe and reverence affect mental health?
Experiencing awe and reverence can have positive effects on mental health, including increased well-being, connectedness, and perspective.
How do children develop feelings of reverence?
Children develop feelings of reverence through cultural and familial teachings, observing and mimicking respected behaviors.
Does reverence require understanding?
Reverence often requires some level of understanding or appreciation of the revered object's significance within a cultural or religious context.
What role does awe play in creativity?
Awe can stimulate creativity by expanding one's perception and appreciation of possibilities beyond the ordinary.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Fasting vs. Pasting
Next Comparison
Command vs. ImperativeAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
