as in ascetic
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Recent Examples of pietistic
Though arguably one of the most pietistic, genuine and well-intentioned presidents of the 20th century, Carter’s presidency was clouded by challenges, many of which were out of his control.
—
Noah Eckstein, Variety, 29 Dec. 2024
By the time Warnock was hired to lead Ebenezer, in 2005, strains of the pietistic tradition had consolidated in the new suburban Black megachurches that preached the prosperity gospel, led by figures such as Creflo Dollar and Bishop Eddie Long.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2022
The official version of Irish history was a dour, gray, pietistic nationalism.
—Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2022
Fonny grew up there, too, with his alcoholic father (Michael Beach), unforgivingly pietistic mother (Aunjanue Ellis), and judgmental sisters (Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne).
—Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, 18 Sep. 2018
My personal Sharia tells me how to pray, how to fast, how to follow my personal pietistic laws, but then there is Sharia that gets involved in criminal law, that gets involved in prohibiting siege.
—Fox News, 18 June 2018
Noah Eckstein, Variety, 29 Dec. 2024
By the time Warnock was hired to lead Ebenezer, in 2005, strains of the pietistic tradition had consolidated in the new suburban Black megachurches that preached the prosperity gospel, led by figures such as Creflo Dollar and Bishop Eddie Long.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2022
The official version of Irish history was a dour, gray, pietistic nationalism.
—Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2022
Fonny grew up there, too, with his alcoholic father (Michael Beach), unforgivingly pietistic mother (Aunjanue Ellis), and judgmental sisters (Ebony Obsidian and Dominique Thorne).
—Alissa Wilkinson, Vox, 18 Sep. 2018
My personal Sharia tells me how to pray, how to fast, how to follow my personal pietistic laws, but then there is Sharia that gets involved in criminal law, that gets involved in prohibiting siege.
—Fox News, 18 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pietistic
Adjective
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Once inside, warm, tropical breezes flow into the hotel’s ascetic, nevertheless grand lobby, wafting you towards a magical cloister filled with plants and robust Botero sculptures.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 May 2026
-
Grothendieck was intense and ascetic from his early days.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on Tuesday that practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement cannot sue tech giant Cisco over allegations of aiding the Chinese government’s surveillance and torture of the group.—
Sophie Brams,
The Hill,
23 June 2026
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The 1970s were thick with New Age spiritual fads and movements, from the benign (crystals) to the unspeakably toxic and cultic (Jonestown).—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
Adjective
-
After a while, though, all the professions of sincerity and thanks, the constant invocations of the one true POTUS, and the worshipful exhibits upstairs give the whole place a cultish, nostalgic gleam.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
4 June 2026
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Since 1980, her partner had been the kindly, worshipful Dutch actor Robert Wolders, whom Ferrer likens to a gentlemanly doormat.—
Hadley Hall Meares,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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That’s the prayerful explanation for the nonsense that spouted this week from the leaders of a football conference that hopes to grow up and be the Big Ten someday.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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The Sagrada Família was founded as an expiatory church, meaning that it would be financed by prayerful donations from people atoning for their sins.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Bi took a gentler line on the subject, describing his relationship to literature as structural rather than reverential.—
Jenny S. Li,
Variety,
22 June 2026
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Rather than offering a reverential homage, the concept recalls the original’s aggressive sophistication, while integrating bleeding-edge advancements.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Not a hushed and reverent scene at all, lively and fun.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
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This is a lovely, if rather decorous and reverent, tale of an illicit affair that’s unlikely to cause as much noise as Dhont’s last two films.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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The former football player explained that his religious upbringing and internal struggle with his sexuality both contributed to his decision to remain a virgin.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
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But, of course, as some of you may be thinking, nothing causes more pain than the desire for pleasure—a fact attested to by countless love songs and religious texts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pietistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pietistic. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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