worship

worship — verb

1. to show deep love and respect for a god or spiritual being through acts such as

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to show deep love and respect for a god or spiritual being through acts such as prayer, singing, or ritual.

Example

Every Sunday morning, the community gathers to worship at the hilltop temple.

intransitive: worship + preposition at/in + place

The ancient Mesopotamians worshipped many gods and built grand temples for them.

transitive: worship + noun (a deity)

Common collocations
  • worship God
  • worship at the altar
  • worship in spirit and truth
Synonyms
  • revere

    more formal; focuses on deep respect rather than active ritual

  • venerate

    formal; often used for saints or holy figures, not usually for a personal god

Antonyms
  • desecrate

    to treat a holy thing with disrespect

Grammar Patterns

worship + noun (a deity)

worship (no object)

worship + preposition (at/in)

Common Mistakes

I prayed at the temple every Sunday' (when you mean participating fully).
I worshipped at the temple every Sunday.
'pray' is only one part of worship; worship covers singing, ritual, and prayer together.

2. to take part in a religious service as a member of a congregation.

2.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

to take part in a religious service as a member of a congregation.

Example

The Okonkwo family worships every Sunday at St. Mark's Church.

worship + frequency adverb + at + place name

During Ramadan, millions of Muslims worship at mosques each evening.

Common collocations
  • worship regularly
  • worship together
  • worship on Sundays
Synonyms
  • pray

    narrower — only speaking to God, not the full service

Grammar Patterns

worship + adverb (regularly/weekly)

worship + preposition (at/in/with)

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1 (RELIGIOUS DEVOTION): sense 1 focuses on the inner feeling and any devotional act; this sense is specifically about attending a group ceremony. You can worship (sense 1) alone at home, but sense 2 requires a communal service.

Common Mistakes

I visited the church every Sunday' (when you mean you attended the service).
I worshipped at the church every Sunday.
'visit' suggests looking around; 'worship' means participating in the service.

3. to feel or express an extremely strong, often uncritical love or admiration for

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to feel or express an extremely strong, often uncritical love or admiration for someone or something, treating them as perfect.

Example

Jabari worships his older cousin and tries to dress and speak just like him.

worship + person (uncritical admiration, copying behaviour)

Pim worshipped the ground his grandmother walked on until the day she died.

idiomatic: worship the ground [someone] walks on

Common collocations
  • worship celebrities
  • worship the ground
  • worship from afar
Synonyms
  • adore

    warmer and more affectionate; less judgmental

  • idolize

    implies putting someone on a pedestal, similar critical overtone

  • hero-worship

    specifically about looking up to a role model with uncritical devotion

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

worship + noun (a person/celebrity)

worship the ground + pronoun + walk on

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1 (RELIGIOUS DEVOTION), this sense is never used about gods. The object is typically a person, celebrity, or public figure. Often carries a mildly critical tone — the speaker implies the admiration is disproportionate or blind.

Common Mistakes

I worship pizza' (as a casual exaggeration).
I love pizza
'worship' sounds odd for food; it is too strong a word for casual likes. Use 'adore' or 'love' instead.

worship — noun

Word family

  • worshipper
    nounB1
  • worshipped
    adjectiveB2
  • worshipping
    adjectiveB2
  • worshipful
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/3

These words all describe strong positive feelings toward someone, but they differ in intensity, critical distance, and register. 'Adore' is the warmest and most affectionate — it suggests genuine love without the judgment that 'worship' carries ('She adores her grandfather and visits him every weekend'). 'Idolize' focuses on putting someone on a pedestal, often ignoring their flaws; it is closer to 'worship' in implying blind admiration ('Teenagers often idolize musicians without questioning their behaviour'). 'Hero-worship' is more specific: it describes the uncritical admiration a young person might feel for an older role model ('Young athletes sometimes hero-worship their coaches'). 'Revere' is the most formal and respectful, implying deep honour without the emotional intensity or uncritical quality ('The students revered their elderly professor for his wisdom'). Use 'worship' when the admiration feels extreme or unbalanced; use 'adore' for a loving, healthy closeness.

adore ↗idolizehero-worshiprevere

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • place of worship
  • act of worship
  • freedom of worship
  • object of worship
  • hero worship

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old English 'weorþscipe', meaning 'worthiness, honour, respect', formed from 'weorþ' (worthy) and '-scipe' (the condition of being something, like '-ship' in 'friendship'). The word originally described the state of being worthy or respected, then gradually took on a religious meaning of showing honour to God. By the 16th century, it was already used in its modern secular sense of extreme admiration for a person.