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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piousness
Noun
-
Interestingly, men, not women, were more open to benevolent deception.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025 -
The movie, with Baranov as its scoundrel tour guide, works its way through some of 21st century Russia’s greatest hits of deception.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
For instance, the fruit’s holiness is signaled in the Pentateuch.—
Demir Alp,
JSTOR Daily,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Mitevska also refuses to sanctify Mother Teresa more than necessary, instead portraying her as a strict disciplinarian who believed in organizational practicality as much as in the inherent holiness of children.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Many are noting Thug’s hypocrisy in his public frustration with Gunna.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
-
But it has been criticized by New Delhi which has accused Washington of hypocrisy given that China, the largest purchaser of Moscow's energy resources, did not face similar measures.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Rather than a set of cosmic beliefs, many people treat astrology as a tool — part spirituality, part cultural practice, part entertainment and part language for understanding themselves and others.—
Christopher P. Scheitle,
The Conversation,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The latest season transported viewers to Thailand, where the latest batch of glamorous guests (played by Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Walton Goggins and many more) encountered enlightenment, spirituality and death.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
His lurid saga — set in the tropics, the plot revolving around deceit and a dead body — would be just the sort of onscreen story PMI specialized in financing.—
Gary Baum,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
-
And in a world where time is money, conditions are ripe for a perfect storm of greed, deceit, and willful gullibility—all in the hope of getting ahead faster than the rest.—
Luis E. Romero,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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 scenic appeal is undeniable, nature’s majestic prose both frames and dwarfs the tumultuous affectations of the characters.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
11 Aug. 2025
-
As a director, Serio has made a name for himself with these kinds of actor-forward, hyperintimate, hyperreal stagings — Uncle Vanya in a loft — and this is a case where minimalism comes across as an affectation.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In an era of skepticism, audiences quickly detect insincerity.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
And as the secretive Jack, Travis Van Winkle oozes oily, sexist insincerity.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Piousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piousness. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share