irreverence

Examples

• All

• I appreciate the constructive irreverence with which many of my colleagues reacted to the presentation.

  Academic text (1996)

• But we often pursued this with irreverence and sometimes even irresponsibility.

  Academic text (2005)

• "You might say irreverence is our national religion."

  Academic text (2010)

• But it does suggest irreverence, even blasphemy, toward the things that a society cares most deeply about.

• There is a detached irreverence in her very analysis of the wedding vows.

  Academic text (2017)

• His cheerful irreverence was comforting, but she wanted to get him back on track.

  Fiction book (1992)

• The spirit of the place is Jewish, in its knowingness, in the things it reverences, and in its irreverence, too.

  Academic text (2009)

• In the U.S.A., the creative revolution of the sixties had made irreverence heroic and created a cult of creative genius.

  Academic text (2001)

• Pasquel's strategy of irreverence included using the press to announce things designed to annoy or embarrass Major League Baseball.

  Academic text (1994)

• An irreverence for the status quo allowed for darkly humorous mainstream depictions of escaped Nazis.

  Academic text (2004)

Synonyms

C

contempt

vsirreverence

131 5.5

A strong feeling that someone or something is worthless and deserves no respect

is absence of respect but may be less intensely hostile emotionally

M

mockery

vsirreverence

66 4.9

Making fun of someone or something by copying them to make others laugh

can include ridicule but also non mocking forms of disrespect

D

disdain

vsirreverence

65 6.5

A feeling of strong dislike and lack of respect

is general disrespect, not only the internal feeling of unworthiness

I

insolence

vsirreverence

19 7.2

Rude behavior or speech toward someone in authority

is disrespect generally, not only bold acts toward authority

D

derision

vsirreverence

• Offensive

17 7.9

Laughing at or making fun of someone to show you do not respect them

is general disrespect that may or may not use ridicule

I

impertinence

vsirreverence

7 8.1

Rude behavior or remarks that show a lack of respect

is broader disrespect, not only playful or cheeky talk

I

incivility

vsirreverence

5 7.9

Rude behavior that shows no politeness

is similar but can include non polite acts toward valued persons or things

P

profanation

vsirreverence

1 9.4

An act of treating something sacred with disrespect

covers such acts but also disrespect toward non sacred people or things

D

disrespectfulness

vsirreverence

1 4.5

A way of behaving that shows no respect for someone or something

is the same lack of respect but often toward valued things or people

C

cheekiness

vsirreverence

• Informal

1 5.8

A bold, slightly rude way of speaking or acting that is playful and shows little respect

is lack of respect that may be serious rather than playful

S

snideness

vsirreverence

1 8.1

A mocking way of speaking that shows dislike or disrespect

is lack of respect but not limited to sarcastic or sneering tone

P

profaneness

vsirreverence

9.3

Lack of respect for things people consider holy

is lack of respect toward respected people or things in general

S

sacrilegiousness

vsirreverence

9.9

Showing disrespect for things people hold as sacred

is broader disrespect not limited to sacred objects or beliefs

C

contemptuousness

vsirreverence

8.5

Showing strong dislike and no respect for a person or thing

is lack of respect that can be expressed without strong scorn

D

disdainfulness

vsirreverence

8.8

A feeling that you are better than other people

is lack of respect that may not include arrogance or superiority

Antonyms

R

respect

∞ 1.0

A feeling of admiration for someone because they are good or successful

R

reverence

35 6.3

A deep feeling of respect and awe for someone or something

How Respectful

reverence

35 6.3

respect

∞ 1.0

irreverence

6 7.9

rudeness

27 1.8

insolence

19 7.2

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology