1
as in deception
the pretending of having virtues, principles, or beliefs that one in fact does not have
an outward piousness that was just a ploy to get him the support of religious-minded voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in holiness
the quality or state of being spiritually pure or virtuous
the piousness with which he lived every aspect of his life was an inspiration to the other monks at the abbey
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of piousness
At the height of her piousness, Adele is confronted with a substitute English teacher, Bromley Stokes, a hippie from San Francisco, who, to her dismay, changes all the rules of school.
—
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Christianity is one of the state’s primary means of control, but for the girls who grew up at the Aunt Lydia School, piousness is real.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Christianity is one of the state’s primary means of control, but for the girls who grew up at the Aunt Lydia School, piousness is real.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piousness
Noun
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But the dramatic vision-boosting reputation carrots have carried for decades traces back to a wartime deception, not science.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
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The deception group reported the steepest drop in symptoms.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Noun
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Others limit prayer to God alone and emphasize remembering saints primarily as historical models of holiness.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Even adversaries in the Arab world have never sunk to attacking the holiness of the Western Wall.—
Steven Burg,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Hilariously, he is also being charged with hypocrisy on account of working for the commercially minded Red Bull network.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Call it hypocrisy or honesty, either way, Season 3 is a joyless exercise that’s nonetheless an improvement on the wayward Season 2.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Buddha offers an egalitarian path to enlightenment; Confucius codifies a religion of learning; Augustine infuses Christianity with Plato and Aristotle; Martin Luther shifts spirituality inward; Duns Scotus separates belief from knowledge; William of Ockham cultivates equality under the law.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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Her Taurus moon also occupies her 12th house, an area of the birth chart associated with spirituality, secrecy and subconscious realms.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Noun
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The shows tackle stories about murder, deceit, grief, familial estrangement, presidential assassinations, and complex mental health diagnoses — and all have found captive audiences on the streamer over the last year.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
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In each new place, Charlie pretends to be Layla, hoping to ensnare an unsuspecting Stanley into his web of deceit.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.—
Sue Brightman,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The elder Taylor exuded the easy-going charm of a music legend who is free of any airs or affectations.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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It was made that much worse when several cast members laughed at her insincerity and Maddi Reese interrupted it several times because there was a stray cat nearby that terrified her.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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Allen’s combo of flip insincerity and kindly concern is a terrific treat, recalling Bill Murray at his doofy best.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piousness. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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