Awe Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms awe American [aw] / ɔ /

noun

1. an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like.

   in awe of God; in awe of great political figures.

   Synonyms: veneration, wonder Antonyms: contempt, apathy

2. Archaic. power to inspire fear or reverence.

3. Obsolete. fear or dread.

verb (used with object)

awed, awing

1. to inspire with awe.

2. to influence or restrain by awe.

awe British / ɔː /

noun

1. overwhelming wonder, admiration, respect, or dread

2. archaic power to inspire fear or reverence

"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

verb

1. (tr) to inspire with reverence or dread

"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

Other Word Forms

• aweless adjective
• outawe verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of awe

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English aghe, awe, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse agi “fear,” cognate with Gothic agis, Old English ege, Greek áchos “pain”

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.

“I think what I’m experiencing right now, and maybe, am especially aware of because of the intensity of the last year, is awe,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s no longer shock and awe but rock and withdraw.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was melodic and haunting, even as the world waited for the “shock and awe” to begin.

From Salon

The author was in awe of his father, at once afraid of him and in thrall to his boundless charisma and movie-star looks.

From The Wall Street Journal

Coders have expressed awe at the extent to which powerful AI models can replicate their expertise.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• alarm
• astonish
• daunt
• dazzle
• flabbergast
• frighten
• horrify
• impress
• intimidate
• scare
• startle
• stun
• stupefy
• terrify

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.