1
as in loyal
firm in one's allegiance to someone or something
a pious supporter of his school's athletic teams, during winning and losing seasons alike
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2
as in devout
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue
a pious woman who decided to become a nun
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Recent Examples of pious
As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, leaving him distrustful of even his pious wife Najmeh and teenage daughters Sana and Rezvan.
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Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Oct. 2024
Different factions disagree on whether and when to declare an Islamic state, how to handle nonbelievers and the insufficiently pious, which enemy to target first, and, of course, who should be the overall leader of the movement.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021
And in the case of Acutis, tech was used in a pious way.
—Kyle MacNeill, WIRED, 30 Sep. 2024
Intraparty democracy sounds like the kind of pious demand that gives democratic theorists a bad name among hard-nosed politicians.
—Jan-Werner Müller, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2022
See all Example Sentences for pious 
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Oct. 2024
Different factions disagree on whether and when to declare an Islamic state, how to handle nonbelievers and the insufficiently pious, which enemy to target first, and, of course, who should be the overall leader of the movement.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 24 Aug. 2021
And in the case of Acutis, tech was used in a pious way.
—Kyle MacNeill, WIRED, 30 Sep. 2024
Intraparty democracy sounds like the kind of pious demand that gives democratic theorists a bad name among hard-nosed politicians.
—Jan-Werner Müller, Foreign Affairs, 6 Jan. 2022
See all Example Sentences for pious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pious
Adjective
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Surpassing 1,000 pages, the tome should be long enough to keep Sanderson's legion of loyal fans sated at least for awhile.Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
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The team began a quick decline after that, a slide that bottomed out last season when the Galaxy fired longtime president Chris Klein amid an embarrassing fan boycott that saw the club’s most loyal supporters refuse to attend matches.Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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My best friend fell in love with a devout Catholic.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
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Hamoudi’s sister is a devout Muslim and a supporter of Hezbollah.Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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His refusal to take his daughters seriously—which stems from his steadfast commitment to his own beliefs—leads them to mistrust him in turn, creating a grim, seemingly unbreakable cycle.Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
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In The Ride of a Lifetime, Iger recounts facing political tensions in China and creative conflicts with George Lucas, requiring steadfast composure, patience, stamina, and strategic thinking.Julian Hayes II, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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World & Nation Rebels seize Damascus; Assad reported to have fled Syria for Moscow Dec. 8, 2024 Syria is home to multiple ethnic and religious communities, often pitted against each other by Assad’s state and years of war.Sarah el Deeb and Bassem Mroue, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
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Nonetheless, the schools that close overwhelmingly tend to be very small, caught in mismanagement or legal trouble, and/or religious.Derek Newton, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Despite his legal setbacks, Navarro remains a staunch Trump ally and a vocal critic of U.S.-China trade policies.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
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The comments, published in 2023 biography of Romney, were sparked by Vance's transformation from a Trump critic to a staunch supporter.Zac Anderson, The Enquirer, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Terry was among the most reverent of Fowler over the weekend.Andrew Knoll, Orange County Register, 17 Dec. 2024
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But while the performer known as V was, to the world, one of seven young men at the helm of the year’s most polished, cutting-edge wave of contemporary pop dominance, the artist who grew up Kim Tae-hyung was, in his personal life, a reverent fan of a much different genre: jazz.Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The latest advance marks a victory lap for XRP’s most vocal supporters, who have remained faithful over the years even during Ripple’s battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission.Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 14 Dec. 2024
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Wilson’s work has been adapted several times since the premiere of his first Century Cycle play, and many of the newer works have stayed largely faithful to his vision, even after Wilson’s death (and that of his creative partner, the director Lloyd Richards).Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Essentially, the deal can also further one of the holy grails of he Brazilian and Spanish-language industries in Latin America: a more fluid release of Spanish-language – here Uruguayan films – in the huge market of São Paulo and beyond, and the release of Brazilian films in Uruguay.John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Dec. 2024
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And there’s this large spectrum of religious horror and holy horror across film.Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near pious
Cite this Entry
“Pious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pious. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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