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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piousness
Noun
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This deception couldn’t come at a worse time for America’s debt.—
Thomas Kahn,
Chicago Tribune,
8 July 2025 -
Unlike earlier studies that uncovered evasion or deception, this research exposed a more alarming phenomenon: models calculating that unethical behavior was a justifiable strategy for survival.—
Hamilton Mann,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
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The outer appearances distracted me from the inner holiness.—
Rabbi Jack Engel,
Sun Sentinel,
17 June 2025
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However, Christianity honored the holiness of these transgender saints.—
Sarah Barringer,
The Conversation,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Douglass’s moral indictment against American hypocrisy resonated far beyond its historical moment.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
4 July 2025
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She is principled, willing to speak truth to power, and uses her years of experience in the publishing industry to highlight its absurdities and hypocrisies while also celebrating the work of so many of its workers.—
Literary Hub
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
Noun
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By the late 1970s, Gayden had embraced transcendental Indian and Native American spirituality and formed the funk and jazz jam band Skyboat.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
-
In Ideals of the East, Okakura argues that Asian civilization is founded on a shared tradition of spirituality and that Japanese art uniquely reflects this tradition because of Japan’s ability to hybridize different cultures without melting them down into an undifferentiated mishmash.—
Waiyee Loh,
JSTOR Daily,
2 July 2025
Noun
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When confronted, deceit turns their romantic evening into a darkly comedic nightmare.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
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The nation has now paid a steep price for its deceit and deception.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
18 June 2025
Noun
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From our review: Tessa Van den Broeck, a newcomer, plays Julie with zero affectation.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
-
No fussy affectations, just a deliberate tamping down of his more charismatic qualities.—
A.A. Dowd,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The federal indictment alleges that Combs and his associates lured two of the women under the pretense of a romantic relationship.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2025
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Theft by false pretenses: A Saratoga resident said someone convinced them to sign a property deed in lieu of foreclosure to avoid filing for bankruptcy.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Each installment was a chance for a new joke, a new observation—about fashion, dating, public restrooms, artistic pretensions, being mistaken for a man—in an era when popular depictions of lesbian experience were rare.—
Charlie Tyson,
New Yorker,
4 June 2025
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Her generation had its pretensions, however rough the family seems now.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
21 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Piousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piousness. Accessed 17 Jul. 2025.
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