as in atheistical
not showing proper reverence for the holy or sacred
an impious act that horrified their pious mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 impious
The only true dictionary is the lost one, the dictionary of the language that perished when the impious tower was built: the original language, God’s language.
—
Mariana Dimópulos, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
This game must have seemed profane to the Greeks, or even impious.
—Simone Weil, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
This game must have seemed profane to the Greeks, or even impious.
—Simone Weil, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Both narratives, private and public, differently restrict our access, so the ideal historian will need great tact and an impious curiosity.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Sarah Thompson, the MFA’s curator of Japanese Art, and curatorial assistant Kendall DeBoer, who put the show’s more than 350 works together, deserve credit for being impious, not reverent.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Mar. 2023
To cut short these death throes is both impious (for those who believe) and immoral (for anyone).
—Michel Houellebecq, Harper’s Magazine , 6 Jan. 2023
Bragadin’s cash was funding heavy gambling and elaborate, impious scenes of seduction.
—Clare Bucknell, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
Bragadin’s cash was funding heavy gambling and elaborate, impious scenes of seduction.
—Clare Bucknell, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
Mariana Dimópulos, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
This game must have seemed profane to the Greeks, or even impious.
—Simone Weil, Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
This game must have seemed profane to the Greeks, or even impious.
—Simone Weil, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Both narratives, private and public, differently restrict our access, so the ideal historian will need great tact and an impious curiosity.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
Sarah Thompson, the MFA’s curator of Japanese Art, and curatorial assistant Kendall DeBoer, who put the show’s more than 350 works together, deserve credit for being impious, not reverent.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Mar. 2023
To cut short these death throes is both impious (for those who believe) and immoral (for anyone).
—Michel Houellebecq, Harper’s Magazine , 6 Jan. 2023
Bragadin’s cash was funding heavy gambling and elaborate, impious scenes of seduction.
—Clare Bucknell, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
Bragadin’s cash was funding heavy gambling and elaborate, impious scenes of seduction.
—Clare Bucknell, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impious
Adjective
-
Alfie, who’s either being willfully obtuse or radically uncompromising, sees nothing sacrilegious in Wilde’s one-act tragedy.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
-
Surely, there’s something utterly sacrilegious about laughing hysterically at actors giving God the middle finger.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
While paella has traveled far beyond Spain’s borders—often in versions that are blasphemous to the locals—this region is its ancestral home.—
Sofia Perez,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
In Europe, the painting was received as a blasphemous shock.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The company has a strong competitive advantage in addressing secular trends such as artificial intelligence, datacenter, cybersecurity, cloud migration, e-commerce and high customer switching costs.—
Larry Light,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Wishing you a weekend of wholesome bites, secular prayers, and fresh discoveries.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
As for the awards themselves, Yang and Rogers cast a hilariously broad and irreverent net.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Not Thirst Traps collection emerges at the intersection of trendy fashion statements, Y2K style and online culture, with T-shirts embossed with irreverent, cheeky turns of phrase.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impious. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share