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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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
His political campaign is spinning into high gear, posting videos showing him as a pious governor holding a Bible, praying and hugging pastors.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
Singh, who would be our local guide, always wore the five traits of a pious Sikh man — uncut hair (symbolizing strength and holiness and topped by the identifying turban), a steel bracelet, wooden comb, sheathed dagger and a baggy undergarment dating back to the Sikhs’ warrior days on horses.
—Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pious
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
His political campaign is spinning into high gear, posting videos showing him as a pious governor holding a Bible, praying and hugging pastors.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 25 Feb. 2026
Singh, who would be our local guide, always wore the five traits of a pious Sikh man — uncut hair (symbolizing strength and holiness and topped by the identifying turban), a steel bracelet, wooden comb, sheathed dagger and a baggy undergarment dating back to the Sikhs’ warrior days on horses.
—Norma Meyer, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pious
Adjective
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Despite uncertainty over the ceasefire’s extension into a longer-term deal and the fate of the region, some people returning to southern Lebanon were steadfast in their determination to rebuild their lives there.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
19 Apr. 2026
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Carshon’s Delicatessen, a steadfast cash-only holdout against plastic since 1925, has quietly added credit cards.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For svn4vr, a devout Christian whose music grapples with the demands of faith, the impulsive workflow conveys a religious fervor.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Her earliest moments in the show have shades of a western—No Country for Old Men with a side of devout Trump supporters, sniffer dogs, petrifying cronies, and balloons stuffed with fentanyl and swallowed with lube.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Scalping tickets wasn’t new, of course, but Kahn believed that its formalization online provided sports teams, and other entertainment businesses, with valuable information about demand that could enable them to make more money without alienating their most loyal fans.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Kenny has always been loyal, kind, generous with his praise.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cameroonian political analyst Collins Molua Ikome highlighted that the pope is primarily a religious authority.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
That entity’s origins have something to do with the Church located in the repressed, religious suburb Naim’s (Bird) just moved to with his mother, played by the brilliant Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Saber rattling between the US and Cuba has reached a fever pitch following a US military operation in Caracas in January that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, a staunch ally of the Cuban government.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
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Leslie and her gruff-but-caring, staunch Libertarian boss Ron Swanson (the incomparable Nick Offerman) became symbols of bygone bipartisanship, not to mention endless memes.—
Jennifer Armstrong,
IndieWire,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Newman often seems to be reciting his lyrics, even incanting them, reverent and repetitive.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Nakamura, who works almost exclusively in his native Japan, smooths over those divisions, creating reverent, porous structures that open to the landscape or curl in on themselves in repose.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That said, many Mets faithful were, heading into the season, wary of how president of baseball operations David Stearns had gone about remaking a roster that had undeniably disappointed in 2025 but was full of homegrown heroes.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
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In 1988, Ralph Hooper purchased the resort, expanding it into a multi-villa property, while remaining faithful to Ladera's roots as an eco-luxury resort integrated in its surroundings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In Catholic school, holy cards are a big deal.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
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The novel setup invited any number of issues that might have ruined the whole thing, but the experience was somehow redeemed and made special by its foundational reverence for the holy light of cinema.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pious. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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