1
as in deception
the pretending of having virtues, principles, or beliefs that one in fact does not have
an outward piousness that was just a ploy to get him the support of religious-minded voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in holiness
the quality or state of being spiritually pure or virtuous
the piousness with which he lived every aspect of his life was an inspiration to the other monks at the abbey
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 piousness
At the height of her piousness, Adele is confronted with a substitute English teacher, Bromley Stokes, a hippie from San Francisco, who, to her dismay, changes all the rules of school.
—
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Christianity is one of the state’s primary means of control, but for the girls who grew up at the Aunt Lydia School, piousness is real.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Christianity is one of the state’s primary means of control, but for the girls who grew up at the Aunt Lydia School, piousness is real.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piousness
Noun
-
But the dramatic vision-boosting reputation carrots have carried for decades traces back to a wartime deception, not science.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
15 June 2026
-
People desperately need reassurances that elections are decided honestly, without tricks or deception to favor a candidate or a party.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Christian figures who embody ideals of goodness and holiness – saints, Mary and even Jesus – are the ones who rule the runway.—
Lynn S. Neal,
The Conversation,
11 May 2026
-
Others limit prayer to God alone and emphasize remembering saints primarily as historical models of holiness.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Work picked up, and Harbour began building a career, often playing a supporting character who helps reveal the hypocrisies or delusions of the protagonists.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
10 June 2026
-
The hypocrisy sticks out like a Sorsby thumb.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Buddha offers an egalitarian path to enlightenment; Confucius codifies a religion of learning; Augustine infuses Christianity with Plato and Aristotle; Martin Luther shifts spirituality inward; Duns Scotus separates belief from knowledge; William of Ockham cultivates equality under the law.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
Her Taurus moon also occupies her 12th house, an area of the birth chart associated with spirituality, secrecy and subconscious realms.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
The shows tackle stories about murder, deceit, grief, familial estrangement, presidential assassinations, and complex mental health diagnoses — and all have found captive audiences on the streamer over the last year.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
-
Barragán brings a surprising depth and empathy to The Yahoo Boys, to the tin roofs and traffic jams of Lagos, the SIM cards and Apple IDs that buttress this edifice of deceit.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Of course, the retort is that this would be irritating and exasperating to be continually deluged with alerts about AI deceptiveness.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The band sets aside the winks and retro affectations for something unadorned and honest.—
Sarah Grant,
Rolling Stone,
19 Aug. 2025
-
The scenic appeal is undeniable, nature’s majestic prose both frames and dwarfs the tumultuous affectations of the characters.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But today, performative is commonly summoned as an accusation—of attention seeking, of insincerity, of main-character energy gone wrong.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Allen’s combo of flip insincerity and kindly concern is a terrific treat, recalling Bill Murray at his doofy best.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piousness. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
