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saintly

adjective

ˈsānt-lē How to pronounce saintly (audio)
Definition of saintlynext
as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue a saintly man who devoted his life to caring for the dying

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 saintly Nigel once again steps in as a saintly father figure with access to a to-die-for sample closet. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026 The power struggle swirls around the saintly, ineffectual King Henry until gradually the dynamic York, who has pretended to support Margaret while secretly hatching his own plot, emerges as the chief contender for the throne. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026 Where ancient midwives had summoned divine assistance by uttering incantations, medieval maternity caregivers called upon saintly mothers by reciting rhythmical charms. — Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026 The truth is that the flamenco-fusion artist undertook years of research and hired the London Symphony Orchestra not to teach—nor even, despite her saintly air, to preach. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for saintly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saintly
  1. pious
  2. devout
  3. religious
  4. sainted
  5. holy
  6. reverent
Adjective
  • Preachers and patricians constantly warned that, if allowed to live unchecked in the city, Jews would ‘infect’ the Christian faithful, poisoning the minds of the pious and stealing souls away from salvation.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Romania is one of the most pious countries in the European Union, with around 85% of the population identifying as religious.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pious
Adjective
  • Veach was a devout believer in Jackson, who was undersized at 5-foot-9-ish, and passionately made the case.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026
  • In the post, Henderson, a devout Christian, shared a video clip from Fox News, and quoted Scripture.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of devout
Adjective
  • Still, Beck didn’t seem to want to talk, in private or in the media, about having grown up as the child of a successful music-industry hustler — much less one who was so proudly and publicly involved with a controversial religious movement.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Researching religious-art theft, Gurrea came across Erik the Belgian, a notorious thief who targeted churches across Spain during the 20th century.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of religious
Adjective
  • The sainted Tom Brady had a busload of go-to receivers over the years.
    — Steve Buckley, New York Times, 2 June 2026
  • The movement had adherents among the student body and on the faculty at the Catholic University in Chiclayo, which has about ten thousand students, and the cathedral boasted an enormous portrait of Josemaria Escrivá, Opus Dei’s sainted founder.
    — Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Definition of sainted
Adjective
  • As well as being a holy site, Lourdes attracts around 3 million pilgrims a year, including approximately 60,000 sick and disabled pilgrims.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • This holy consciousness recognizes the entirely spiritual nature of reality, which is the eternal truth that links the Bible to Christian Science.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of holy
Adjective
  • The mood is celebratory on the Paramount lot, insiders said, despite the fact that much of Hollywood is observing Yom Kippur (the most reverent of the Jewish High Holy Days).
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Waterhouse often works with hairstylist Jacob Rozenberg, who has crafted her blonde hair into a reverent, glamorous bedhead.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of reverent

Browse Nearby Words

saintliness
saintly
saints
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Cite this Entry

“Saintly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saintly. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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