godly

adjective

ˈgäd-lē How to pronounce godly (audio)
Definition of godlynext
1
as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue a godly and humble man who will be richly rewarded in the next world

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in divine
of, relating to, or being God a godly voice from the heavens commanded him to build an ark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of godly Dozens of boys say they were abused in a Christian scouting program that vowed to raise godly men. — Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 22 May 2026 But this new condominium features more than a godly cityscape. — Michael Gross, Air Mail, 4 Apr. 2026 Baruch Spinoza argued for a singular godly substance of which everything in existence is an attribute. — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026 Trump’s version of Christianity instead preaches no mercy for those against him, demands followers exalt him above everything, celebrates the gaudy instead of the godly. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for godly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for godly
  1. pious
  2. divine
  3. religious
  4. holy
  5. devout
  6. heavenly
  7. spiritual
  8. sacred
Adjective
  • Philemon and Baucis, a pious Phrygian couple, hospitably received the disguised Zeus and Hermes after their richer neighbors had refused to do so.
    — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 July 2026
  • This was 1872, and the pious (and patronizing) commentators of the time muttered that Damien’s unvarnished personality was due to his simple farm upbringing in rural Belgium.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of pious
Adjective
  • Lal Ded’s poetry also emphasized that the search for the divine transcends religious boundaries.
    — Peter Dziedzic, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
  • The speakeasy is a classic that’s been around since 2013, offering specialty cocktails and charcuterie boards that are simply divine.
    — USA TODAY NETWORK, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of divine
Adjective
  • Beijing has appointed its own senior monks, maintained close surveillance and controls on religious expression, and faced allegations of cracking down on peaceful dissent and forcing the large-scale relocation of rural and nomadic Tibetans.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Singapore maintains strict rules on the public display of foreign flags and emblems without a permit, framing the laws as necessary to protect the country’s racial and religious harmony.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of religious
Adjective
  • The arson attacks highlight a surge in settler violence, mounting criticism of Netanyahu’s government and global calls — including from the Vatican — to protect holy sites and avert wider conflict.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026
  • Southern Paiutes will still hold Grand Staircase as the holy land where the Creator placed them.
    — Kerri J. Malloy, The Conversation, 23 July 2026
Definition of holy
Adjective
  • Musk has his own army of devout followers, too, but the difference is that Musk is constantly miserable, alienating even some of his own followers with his extreme takes.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 22 July 2026
  • While Auguste and two of Damien’s older sisters, Eugenie and Pauline, were being prepared for religious service by devout Anne-Catherine, Frans wanted Jozef for the farm.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
Definition of devout
Adjective
  • The actress, 29, wore a heavenly floor-length white gown sourced from French fashion house Matières Fécales to the red carpet at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Tuesday, July 14.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
  • By the end of the movie, even something as natural as daylight has become suffused with a heavenly glow, and the beads of sweat on a dying body sparkle with a beauty that Emily had never been able to find anywhere else in her tragedy of a life.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 26 June 2026
Definition of heavenly
Adjective
  • Adding something fun to your at-home altar like an incense holder, a statue of Venus/Aphrodite, or evil eye decor to stay grounded within yourself and embrace your spiritual side this month.
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way, cast members sit for personal fate readings and open up about relationships and losses in their own lives, then move into direct contact with shamanic ritual, a practice the format positions as central to Korean spiritual life.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 July 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • This place has a mysterious spiritual atmosphere, shaped by the idea of sacred cosmic energy and stories of warriors who gained supernatural powers through intense training.
    — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Delta musicians also often used call-and-response patterns, which were common in African music and were used in other blues styles and in African American sacred music, including spirituals.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Definition of sacred

Browse Nearby Words

godliness
godly
go down
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Cite this Entry

“Godly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/godly. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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