Synonyms of religious

religious 1 of 2

adjective

ri-ˈli-jəs 

1

as in sacred

of, relating to, or used in the practice or worship services of a religion

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote some of the most beautiful religious music in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sacred
• spiritual
• liturgical
• devotional
• holy
• ritual
• solemn
• consecrated
• sacramental
• sacrosanct
• blessed
• sanctified
• hallowed
• semireligious
• semisacred

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• secular
• nonreligious
• profane
• earthly
• worldly
• terrestrial
• mundane
• terrene

2

as in pious

showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue

a deeply religious woman who eventually decided to quit her job and to become a nun

Synonyms & Similar Words

• pious
• devout
• spiritual
• holy
• reverent
• godly
• saintly
• sainted
• ascetic
• venerable
• moral
• worshipful
• prayerful
• pietistic
• reverential
• blessed
• pure
• religiose
• virtuous
• angelic
• chaste
• righteous
• cherubic
• canonized
• beatified
• upright

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• irreligious
• secular
• godless
• antireligious
• impious
• unholy
• faithless
• ungodly
• blasphemous
• irreverent
• worldly
• sacrilegious
• profane
• nonreligious
• unspiritual
• evil
• unfaithful
• sinful
• immoral
• desecrating
• profanatory
• wicked
• backsliding
• unrighteous
• iniquitous
• sinning
• miscreant

3

as in passionate

having or expressing great depth of feeling

a woman known for embracing various causes with a religious enthusiasm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• passionate
• passional
• emotional
• fervent
• warm
• intense
• ardent
• demonstrative
• charged
• enthusiastic
• fiery
• glowing
• impassioned
• burning
• fervid
• incandescent
• perfervid
• flaming
• vehement
• feverish
• sentimental
• superheated
• blazing
• torrid
• red-hot
• warm-blooded
• hot-blooded
• on fire
• zealous
• mawkish
• melodramatic
• histrionic
• saccharine
• sugary
• sloppy
• sappy
• mushy
• gushy
• obsessed
• schmaltzy
• maudlin
• gung ho
• uninhibited
• orgiastic
• keen
• infatuated
• frenzied
• enamored
• unrestrained
• unreserved
• gushing
• overemotional
• overheated
• overexcited

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cold
• dispassionate
• cool
• impersonal
• objective
• impassive
• dry
• detached
• unemotional
• emotionless
• reserved
• undemonstrative

religious

2 of 2

noun

as in nun

Related Words

• nun
• novice
• anchoress
• mother superior
• Reverend Mother
• ecclesiastic
• votary
• monastic
• prioress
• clerical
• priestess
• abbess
• conventual
• preacher
• cloistress
• monk
• friar
• divine
• mendicant
• cleric
• sister
• reverend
• high priestess
• diocesan
• deaconess
• clergyman
• pope
• bishop
• deacon
• clergyperson
• oblate
• archbishop
• prelate
• clergywoman
• dominie
• abbot
• churchman
• pastor
• minister
• dean
• high priest
• chaplain
• vicar
• curé
• missionary
• presbyter
• monsignor
• padre
• clerk
• abbé
• parson
• rector
• Holy Joe
• revivalist
• curate
• shepherd
• confessor
• father
• archpriest
• sky pilot
• missioner
• evangelist
• missionizer

Dissimilar Words

• secular
• layman
• lay reader
• layperson
• lector

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of religious

Adjective

While religious expression is protected under law and federal employees are permitted to engage in private religious speech, the Establishment Clause prohibits the government from establishing an official state religion, favoring one religion over another, or favoring religion over non-religion. —Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 13 May 2026

Shoulder to Shoulder, a multifaith alliance that prepares religious leaders to address anti-Muslim discrimination, is among those leading the work on Islamophobia. —James Pollard, Fortune, 13 May 2026

Noun

As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras. —Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020