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
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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
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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 in a further deception orchestrated by the Devil, the king’s mother is ordered to kill the queen and her child.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Red-team against deliberate deception, not just natural variability.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Others limit prayer to God alone and emphasize remembering saints primarily as historical models of holiness.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Even adversaries in the Arab world have never sunk to attacking the holiness of the Western Wall.—
Steven Burg,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And that is an interesting American hypocrisy.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
2 June 2026
-
The lawlessness, corruption, hypocrisy and plain old evil coming out of the White House these days is astounding and overwhelming.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Noun
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But what Richards thought was a collective with a deep love of mysticism, spirituality, and personal growth quickly spiraled into a controlling sect called Eternal Values, with Mierers in a position of complete power.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
1 June 2026
-
Connection, ritual, spirituality, friendship, and community may become protective.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
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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
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In each new place, Charlie pretends to be Layla, hoping to ensnare an unsuspecting Stanley into his web of deceit.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Noun
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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
-
Beyond the deceptiveness of the narrow material view, spiritual light and hope are always present to be found and felt.—
Sue Brightman,
Christian Science Monitor,
3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The elder Taylor exuded the easy-going charm of a music legend who is free of any airs or affectations.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Slumming with her sister in San Francisco after her life with her Madoff-like ex in New York implodes, Jasmine Francis isn't quite willing to let go of the affectations that come with living in high society.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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It was made that much worse when several cast members laughed at her insincerity and Maddi Reese interrupted it several times because there was a stray cat nearby that terrified her.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
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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 5 Jun. 2026.
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