sacred awe

Divine fear felt

Sacred awe is the overwhelming feeling of reverence, wonder, and humility that arises in the presence of something holy, transcendent, or vastly greater than oneself.

It combines deep respect with a sense of being small before the infinite—the feeling one might experience in a cathedral, before a sacred text, or contemplating the divine: She stood in sacred awe before the ancient altar.

Related

higher power · transcendence · beyond words · worship · majesty · sublime · veneration · on bended knee · trembling · numinous · mystery · devotion · breathless · bated breath · humility · temple · altar · ritual

Opposites
reverence vs. disrespect

sacred awecontempt

Disdainful disregard

profanation · blasphemy · desecration · sacrilege · scorn

transcendent wonder vs. mundane indifference

sacred aweboredom

Weary disinterest from monotony

indifference · ennui · apathy · disenchantment · banality

reverent distance vs. casual familiarity

sacred awenonchalance

Calm, casual composure

overfamiliarity · taking for granted · domestication · complacency · matter-of-factness

Family

sacred, awe, sacredly, sacredness, sacrosanct, sacrament, sacramental, consecrate, consecration

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G