awe

UK: /ˈɔː/ US: /ɔ/ ,(ô)

Inflections of 'awe' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

awes

v 3rd person singular

awing

v pres p

awed

v past

awed

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

awe /ɔ/   n., v., awed, aw•ing. 
n. [uncountable]

1. a powerful feeling of reverence, fear, or wonder produced by someone or something overwhelming.
2. in awe of, feeling reverence, fear, or wonder:
   I stood in awe of the huge monument.

v. [~ + object]

3. to cause (someone) to feel awe:
   The imposing statue of a huge lion awed the children into silence.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

awe  (ô), n., v., awed, aw•ing. 
n. 

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.
2. [Archaic.] power to inspire fear or reverence.
3. [Obs.] fear or dread.

v.t. 

4. to inspire with awe.
5. to influence or restrain by awe.

• Scandinavian; compare Old Norse agi fear, cognate with Gothic agis, Old English ege, Greek áchos pain
• Middle English aghe, awe 1250–1300

Synonyms

• 1. wonder, veneration.

Antonyms

• 1. apathy; contempt.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

awe / ɔː/ noun

1. overwhelming wonder, admiration, respect, or dread
2. power to inspire fear or reverence

verb

1. (transitive) to inspire with reverence or dread

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old Norse agi; related to Gothic agis fear, Greek akhesthai to be grieved