Synonyms of religious

religious 1 of 2

adjective

ri-ˈli-jəs 

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

• sacred
• spiritual
• liturgical
• devotional
• holy
• ritual
• solemn
• consecrated
• sacramental
• sacrosanct
• blessed
• sanctified
• hallowed
• semireligious
• semisacred

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• secular
• nonreligious
• profane
• earthly
• worldly
• terrestrial
• mundane
• terrene

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

• pious
• devout
• spiritual
• holy
• reverent
• godly
• saintly
• sainted
• ascetic
• venerable
• moral
• worshipful
• prayerful
• pietistic
• reverential
• blessed
• pure
• religiose
• virtuous
• angelic
• chaste
• righteous
• cherubic
• canonized
• beatified
• upright

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• irreligious
• secular
• godless
• antireligious
• impious
• unholy
• faithless
• ungodly
• blasphemous
• irreverent
• worldly
• sacrilegious
• profane
• nonreligious
• unspiritual
• evil
• unfaithful
• sinful
• immoral
• desecrating
• profanatory
• wicked
• backsliding
• unrighteous
• iniquitous
• sinning
• miscreant

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

• passionate
• passional
• emotional
• fervent
• warm
• intense
• ardent
• demonstrative
• charged
• enthusiastic
• fiery
• glowing
• impassioned
• burning
• fervid
• incandescent
• perfervid
• flaming
• vehement
• feverish
• sentimental
• superheated
• blazing
• torrid
• red-hot
• warm-blooded
• hot-blooded
• on fire
• zealous
• mawkish
• melodramatic
• histrionic
• saccharine
• sugary
• sloppy
• sappy
• mushy
• gushy
• obsessed
• schmaltzy
• maudlin
• gung ho
• uninhibited
• orgiastic
• keen
• infatuated
• frenzied
• enamored
• unrestrained
• unreserved
• gushing
• overemotional
• overheated
• overexcited

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cold
• dispassionate
• cool
• impersonal
• objective
• impassive
• dry
• detached
• unemotional
• emotionless
• reserved
• undemonstrative

religious

2 of 2

noun

as in nun

Related Words

• nun
• novice
• anchoress
• mother superior
• Reverend Mother
• ecclesiastic
• votary
• monastic
• prioress
• clerical
• priestess
• abbess
• conventual
• preacher
• cloistress
• monk
• friar
• divine
• mendicant
• cleric
• sister
• reverend
• high priestess
• diocesan
• deaconess
• clergyman
• pope
• bishop
• deacon
• clergyperson
• oblate
• archbishop
• prelate
• clergywoman
• dominie
• abbot
• churchman
• pastor
• minister
• dean
• high priest
• chaplain
• vicar
• curé
• missionary
• presbyter
• monsignor
• padre
• clerk
• abbé
• parson
• rector
• Holy Joe
• revivalist
• curate
• shepherd
• confessor
• father
• archpriest
• sky pilot
• missioner
• evangelist
• missionizer

Dissimilar Words

• secular
• layman
• lay reader
• layperson
• lector

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of religious

Adjective

Those who arrived in the 1900s had very different cultural, political, and religious backgrounds from the older Texas Jews. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

These figures are attempting a political and religious transformation—one that is not only post-Christian but also posthuman. — Colleen Dulle, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Noun

As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020