1
as in steadfast
firm in one's allegiance to someone or something
a pious supporter of his school's athletic teams, during winning and losing seasons alike
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devout
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue
a pious woman who decided to become a nun
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pious
The contrast between svn4vr’s different inflections evokes the spiritual tension of a pious person torn between worldly desire and submission to a higher power.
—
H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
In addition to the pious, persevering Goma and flawed Chandravati in the mortal realm, in the divine realm there are the goddesses Sati and her reincarnation as Parvati.
—Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
In theory, their story ought to have enough drama to satisfy both pious and secular tastes.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026
In his native Paine, a quiet agricultural town just south of Santiago, some residents remember the Kast family fondly as a pious clan who built a successful meat and restaurant business.
—John Bartlett, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pious
H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
In addition to the pious, persevering Goma and flawed Chandravati in the mortal realm, in the divine realm there are the goddesses Sati and her reincarnation as Parvati.
—Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
In theory, their story ought to have enough drama to satisfy both pious and secular tastes.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 22 Mar. 2026
In his native Paine, a quiet agricultural town just south of Santiago, some residents remember the Kast family fondly as a pious clan who built a successful meat and restaurant business.
—John Bartlett, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pious
Adjective
-
The throughline of his life is his on-again, off-again friendship with, but also his steadfast love for a neighbor girl of the upper class, who challenges him repeatedly to become his better self.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
-
Despite their steadfast opposition to the change, most in the college hockey world are resigning themselves to likely new reality.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
His Baptist parents raised him in the church, and his mother was particularly devout.—
Rachel Cole,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 May 2026
-
As devout Sunni Muslims, many Uyghur fighters sympathized with the largely Sunni Islamist militias, especially those that became part of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance of militia groups, including Jabhat al-Nusra, which until 2016 was affiliated with al-Qaida.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is an island that attracts a fashionable globetrotting crowd, and loyal St Regis fans—arguably one in the same.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
Tesla Rivian already has a core of passionate, loyal owners but Tesla has a ten-year head start.—
Brooke Crothers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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The basilica is Spain’s most recognizable work of architecture, Barcelona’s defining landmark and one of Europe’s most unusual religious buildings.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
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David called on civil society, academic, religious and other groups to help the commission and said a large charity group in Germany has offered funding support.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Palace’s defence, so staunch for much of this campaign, snuffed out any serious danger.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
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But the Veterans Park Neighborhood Association, staunch opponents of the shelter location, went to court in December over the city’s previous decision.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is a lovely, if rather decorous and reverent, tale of an illicit affair that’s unlikely to cause as much noise as Dhont’s last two films.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
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Nonetheless, mathematicians remember him with reverent affection.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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The announcement of Dean and Allie as the couple in Season Two is the latest example of Off Campus’ showrunner and development team making the show a distinct offering rather than a faithful blow-by-blow of the novels.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
28 May 2026
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Of course faithful musical buffs will hyper-focus on what’s been change… and honestly, that’s part of the fun, right?—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Playing the rivalry at any other time would be an affront to all that’s good and holy.—
Austin Meek,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
In such a distrustful environment, everything that should be pure or holy or human is crushed under the weight of a state only interested in its own self-perpetuation.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pious. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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