religious

re·li·gious | \ ri-ˈli-jəs

How to pronounce religious (audio)

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Definition of religious

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity a religious person religious attitudes

2 : of, relating to, or devoted to religious beliefs or observances joined a religious order

3a : scrupulously and conscientiously faithful

b : fervent, zealous

religious

plural religious

Definition of religious (Entry 2 of 2)

: a member of a religious order under monastic vows

Other Words from religious Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about religious

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Examples of religious in a Sentence

Adjective My religious beliefs forbid the drinking of alcohol. Religious leaders called for an end to the violence. His wife is very active in the church, but he's not religious himself.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective First Amendment activities, such as religious and political gatherings, are exempt from the order. — Audrey Jensen, The Arizona Republic, "Protesters gather at Arizona Capitol on Fourth of July in support of individuals' rights," 6 July 2020 Franklin High pushed to change the school’s religious-themed Quaker mascot, Portland Public Schools has had an official policy for how a school’s name can be challenged and changed. — oregonlive, "Activists have long pushed to rename some Portland schools. A national reckoning could tip the scales," 5 July 2020 Clergy and religious organizations, vowing to do more than offer Kumbayas, worked on a blueprint for reconciliation and unity. — Allie Morris, Dallas News, "How we remember the 2016 ambush of Dallas officers is important amid today’s police debate," 3 July 2020 Some scholars have found that, when controlling for other factors in life such as income and religious faith, education by itself has no independent explanatory power over happiness. — Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, "A College Degree Is No Guarantee of a Good Life," 2 July 2020 In the dispute, Max had defended his devoutly religious mother against his autocratic father. — George Blaustein, The New Republic, "Searching for Consolation in Max Weber’s Work Ethic," 2 July 2020 Netanyahu has defended his annexation plan on both security and religious grounds and says the friendly Trump administration has provided a rare opportunity to redraw Israel's borders. — Fox News, "AOC letter on West Bank annexation boasts support from anti-Israel groups," 2 July 2020 As part of its effort to promote democracy and human rights, the agency works to promote religious freedom. — William Cummings, USA TODAY, "Ilhan Omar, Joaquin Castro demand removal of USAID religious freedom adviser for social media posts," 30 June 2020 But Uyghur activists and rights groups claim that Beijing's repression of religious freedom and unfair ethnic policies is at the root of the conflicts. — Ben Westcott, CNN, "What's been happening in China's Xinjiang, home to 11 million Uyghurs?," 19 June 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'religious.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near religious

religious education

religious house

religious humanism

Statistics for religious

Last Updated

8 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Religious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religious. Accessed 15 Jul. 2020.

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More Definitions for religious

religious

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of religious

: of or relating to religion

: believing in a god or a group of gods and following the rules of a religion

: very careful to do something whenever it can or should be done

See the full definition for religious in the English Language Learners Dictionary

religious

re·li·gious | \ ri-ˈli-jəs

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Kids Definition of religious

1 : believing in God or gods and following the practices of a religion a religious person

2 : of or relating to religion religious books

3 : very devoted and faithful She's religious about wearing a seat belt.

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