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 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 Plus, their father was the deacon of the local Catholic congregation – all the more reason to maintain a saintly lifestyle. — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • According to Warburton, Barbara shared her husband's devout Catholic faith and his strong disapproval of their son's most popular shows.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of devout
Adjective
  • There is also persistent friction between Arab and Kurdish communities in the northeast of the country, and the government has had to respond to pockets of violence against the religious Alawite minority along Syria’s coast.
    — Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Luk grew up without religion, but many childhood friends were religious and invited her to churches and youth groups.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 15 Aug. 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
  • But Schleien considers official pietism—the theocratic strictures, the holy geographies, and Iron Age notions of vengeance—a threat in its own right, and one that exacerbates various security crises.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
  • As well as being home to Islam’s holiest sites, Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s top oil exporters.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of holy
Adjective
  • These movies always run the risk of being overly reverent, and for better and worse, Johnson’s take on Bourdain’s formative years is not concerned with reverence.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The Lost Boys gave us the chance to create something that feels reverent toward the film while still staking its own claim.
    — Shivani Vora, Forbes.com, 28 July 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 19 Aug. 2026.

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