as in ascetical
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Recent Examples of pietistic
Though arguably one of the most pietistic, genuine and well-intentioned presidents of the 20th century, Carter’s presidency was clouded by challenges, many of which were out of his control.
—
Noah Eckstein, Variety, 29 Dec. 2024
By the time Warnock was hired to lead Ebenezer, in 2005, strains of the pietistic tradition had consolidated in the new suburban Black megachurches that preached the prosperity gospel, led by figures such as Creflo Dollar and Bishop Eddie Long.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2022
The official version of Irish history was a dour, gray, pietistic nationalism.
—Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2022
Fonny grew up there, too, with his alcoholic father (Michael Beach), unforgivingly pietistic mother (Aunjanue Ellis), and judgmental sisters (Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne).
—Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, 18 Sep. 2018
My personal Sharia tells me how to pray, how to fast, how to follow my personal pietistic laws, but then there is Sharia that gets involved in criminal law, that gets involved in prohibiting siege.
—Fox News, 18 June 2018
Noah Eckstein, Variety, 29 Dec. 2024
By the time Warnock was hired to lead Ebenezer, in 2005, strains of the pietistic tradition had consolidated in the new suburban Black megachurches that preached the prosperity gospel, led by figures such as Creflo Dollar and Bishop Eddie Long.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2022
The official version of Irish history was a dour, gray, pietistic nationalism.
—Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2022
Fonny grew up there, too, with his alcoholic father (Michael Beach), unforgivingly pietistic mother (Aunjanue Ellis), and judgmental sisters (Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne).
—Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, 18 Sep. 2018
My personal Sharia tells me how to pray, how to fast, how to follow my personal pietistic laws, but then there is Sharia that gets involved in criminal law, that gets involved in prohibiting siege.
—Fox News, 18 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pietistic
Adjective
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In fact, the ascetic value of fasting from meat required that the person otherwise enjoy it.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
4 Aug. 2025
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Greens embodied the ascetic lushness of the farm-to-table movement, which, in Northern California, was synonymous with the Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse.—
John Birdsall,
New Yorker,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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The things that Finn has to get past and deal with in the course of the movie are relatively simple, and what Gwen is dealing with is much more complicated in terms of her mother’s death and inheriting her spiritual gift and feeling like an outsider who’s awkward, crazy and freakish.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Oct. 2025
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Accompanied by a nonchalant guitar performance, dancer and choreographer Dong Jilan, donning a brown velvet dress and having the same long, wavy hair as Sanmao, woke up from a miniature dune and roamed around the set in a highly spiritual and ceremonial fashion.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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West was at the height of his cultural influence and had handpicked Chance, a fellow Chicago native, as his protégé—the successor to the soul-drenched, worshipful hip-hop that West had popularized in the mid-two-thousands.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
20 Aug. 2025
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The secret in the biscuits is the pairing of cheddar with bacon, with the overall result being worshipful thanks from those who are lucky enough to partake.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The Sagrada Família was founded as an expiatory church, meaning that it would be financed by prayerful donations from people atoning for their sins.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
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Pärt’s formulas, born out of long, prayerful periods with sacred texts, offer beauty in the warmth and friction of relationships: melody and tintinnabuli, word and the limits of language, sounds and silence.—
Jeffers Engelhardt,
The Conversation,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Maggie shows reverential awe for Alma, who carries the same regard for her student whilst having a nepotistic bond with Hank.—
Essence,
Essence,
15 Oct. 2025
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This is a different era, one less reverential of spiritual authority.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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That Maestro screening featured the vociferous participation of Leonard Bernstein’s surviving family members, as well as Cooper himself watching silently from the audience (the strike prevented him from doing more), a perfect companion to Cooper’s alternately reverent and over-the-top biopic.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
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The atmosphere is reverent and energized, with attendees standing in collective praise hours before the formal program begins.—
Amanda Castro
Mandy Taheri
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pietistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pietistic. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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