1
as in steadfast
firm in one's allegiance to someone or something
a pious supporter of his school's athletic teams, during winning and losing seasons alike
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devout
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue
a pious woman who decided to become a nun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pious
As Mildred Layton, the pious pastor’s wife first played on screen by Kristin Chenoweth, Ana Gasteyer is in her element.
—
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
The Colombian grandmother of my childhood summers was funny, mean, pious, and hard—despite being tremendously sensitive in her own way.
—Adriana E. Ramírez, Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
The contrast between svn4vr’s different inflections evokes the spiritual tension of a pious person torn between worldly desire and submission to a higher power.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
In addition to the pious, persevering Goma and flawed Chandravati in the mortal realm, in the divine realm there are the goddesses Sati and her reincarnation as Parvati.
—Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pious
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
The Colombian grandmother of my childhood summers was funny, mean, pious, and hard—despite being tremendously sensitive in her own way.
—Adriana E. Ramírez, Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
The contrast between svn4vr’s different inflections evokes the spiritual tension of a pious person torn between worldly desire and submission to a higher power.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
In addition to the pious, persevering Goma and flawed Chandravati in the mortal realm, in the divine realm there are the goddesses Sati and her reincarnation as Parvati.
—Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pious
Adjective
-
The Federal Reserve’s steadfast period of low interest rates in the 2000s was criticized as contributing to a housing bubble in the 2000s, followed by the mortgage crisis of 2007 and the Great Recession the following year.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
-
With the almighty Sun highlighting your 7th House of Partnership, commitments benefit from structure that includes realistic timelines and steadfast follow-through.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 June 2026
Adjective
-
His mother, Laura, was a devout Methodist and a vegetarian, while his father, Kenneth, who worked as an accounts clerk and also restored prams and bicycles, had been a conscientious objector, and was a militant anti-smoker.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
20 June 2026
-
Back home, monks had already begun performing last rite rituals for him, as his devout Buddhist wife and daughter mourned him, presuming him dead.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
The uninitiated might be surprised that Game Changer has amassed a fiercely loyal, very active online fan base.—
Simon Thompson,
HollywoodReporter,
21 June 2026
-
Cao is strategically building his team, repositioning competent legacy appointees to ensure continuity while fostering a loyal leadership cadre.—
Craig Hooper,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
Adjective
-
Frama’s shelving unit extends your staunch Brutalist design mindset to the bathroom.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
18 June 2026
-
Since splitting from OpenAI to start Anthropic in 2021, Amodei and his top executives have been staunch advocates for AI regulation and have supported legislation at both state and federal levels.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Not a hushed and reverent scene at all, lively and fun.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
-
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
-
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s faithful — who comprised the vocal majority amidst the full house for Thursday’s 4-1 Group B loss to Switzerland at SoFi Stadium — are seeing manager Sergej Barbarez pull the same improbable stunt.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
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As expected, the nostalgic remake of the Air Force 1’s 2001 mold stays faithful to an era of the sneaker that many purists consider to be among the best.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attacks a response to Russia’s relentless nightly bombardment, which on Monday included Kyiv’s oldest and holiest church complex.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
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And for the love of all things holy, do not store food in your tent.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pious. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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