religious 1 of 2

adjective

ri-ˈli-jəs How to pronounce religious (audio)
Definition of religiousnext
1
as in sacred
of, relating to, or used in the practice or worship services of a religion Johann Sebastian Bach wrote some of the most beautiful religious music in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue a deeply religious woman who eventually decided to quit her job and to become a nun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in passionate
having or expressing great depth of feeling a woman known for embracing various causes with a religious enthusiasm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

religious

2 of 2

noun

as in nun

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 religious
Adjective
The high court’s upcoming term will also include various other major cases, including a case involving religious rights and schools over Colorado barring Catholic preschools from its universal preschool program. — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 21 Aug. 2026 Under his leadership the Taliban has established a highly centralized system of religious rule and imposed extensive restrictions on the rights and activities of women and girls. — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020 See All Example Sentences for religious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for religious
  1. sacred
  2. pious
  3. passionate
  4. nun
  5. spiritual
  6. devout
  7. passional
  8. novice
Adjective
  • The sacred wind instrument — which is created from a eucalyptus tree trunk or branch naturally hollowed out by termites — was developed a thousand years ago by the Aboriginal community in northern Australia and is often used in cultural ceremonies.
    — Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Far-right extremists are even encouraging Jewish-Arab violence atop the Temple Mount, the most sacred site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam, which could ignite anti-Israel religious violence and terrorism in the region.
    — Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of sacred
Adjective
  • Adenauer, De Gasperi, and Schuman were all devout Catholics, and Monnet, though not a religious man, was born into a pious Catholic family.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Philemon and Baucis, a pious Phrygian couple, hospitably received the disguised Zeus and Hermes after their richer neighbors had refused to do so.
    — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 July 2026
Definition of pious
Adjective
  • The president of the new campus is Tamekia Morris, a passionate advocate for getting more women into skilled trades.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Those who visit annually or several times during the year are deeply passionate about the live shows, character meet-and-greets, holiday food specials, seasonal festivals and parades and nighttime spectaculars that these parks provide.
    — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of passionate
Noun
  • She was named by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person last year, after Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas died at the age of 116.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • On this special night, a nun threw out the first pitch, the fans donned pope hats and Sox home-run hitters paraded down the dugout in pope hats.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of nun
Adjective
  • The story seems a spiritual festival on the German-Polish border become an ensemble dramedy about healing and reinvention.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
  • But Watts, who is well-versed in gnosticism — an esoteric, religious philosophy that places emphasis on the spiritual realm and obtaining wisdom about oneself — seemed to have had a profound impact on McCollough’s worldview.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • Ghalib was a devout Muslim yet drank wine despite Islam’s prohibition on alcohol.
    — Aishwarya Lakshmi, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Adenauer, De Gasperi, and Schuman were all devout Catholics, and Monnet, though not a religious man, was born into a pious Catholic family.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of devout
Adjective
  • At Fox, Collier became known for his passional embrace of blockchain, NFTs and the whole Web3 space.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022
Definition of passional
Noun
  • The novice senator is beginning her sixth week on the job, having been appointed to fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's seat two days after his sudden death on July 11.
    — Sophia Vlahakis, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • An aurora photographer who spoke to National Geographic offered tips for novices trying to take photos of the phenomenon, including would-be photographers who only have access to a smartphone camera.
    — Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of novice

Browse Nearby Words

religiose
religious
religiousness
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Cite this Entry

“Religious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/religious. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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