PIETY Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'piety' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piety are allegiance , devotion , fealty , fidelity , and loyalty . While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental. // filial piety

Q: When would 'allegiance' be a good substitute for 'piety'?

While the synonyms allegiance and piety are close in meaning, allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country. // pledging allegiance

Q: When is it sensible to use 'devotion' instead of 'piety'?

While in some cases nearly identical to piety , devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication. // a painter's devotion to her art

Q: When might 'fealty' be a better fit than 'piety'?

Although the words fealty and piety have much in common, fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow. // fealty to the truth

Q: When can 'fidelity' be used instead of 'piety'?

The meanings of fidelity and piety largely overlap; however, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty. // marital fidelity

Q: When could 'loyalty' be used to replace 'piety'?

The synonyms loyalty and piety are sometimes interchangeable, but loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray. // valued the loyalty of his friends

piety

noun

ˈpī-ə-tē

Definition of piety next

as in religion

belief and trust in and loyalty to God her piety is quiet but profound

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as in holiness

the quality or state of being spiritually pure or virtuous among fellow clerics he is respected and admired for his piety

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in devotion

adherence to something to which one is bound by a pledge or duty familial piety keeps me from refusing to help my brother in this financial crisis

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word piety distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piety are allegiance, devotion, fealty, fidelity, and loyalty. While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

filial piety

When would allegiance be a good substitute for piety?

While the synonyms allegiance and piety are close in meaning, allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

pledging allegiance

When is it sensible to use devotion instead of piety?

While in some cases nearly identical to piety, devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

a painter's devotion to her art

When might fealty be a better fit than piety?

Although the words fealty and piety have much in common, fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

fealty to the truth

When can fidelity be used instead of piety?

The meanings of fidelity and piety largely overlap; however, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

marital fidelity

When could loyalty be used to replace piety?

The synonyms loyalty and piety are sometimes interchangeable, but loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

valued the loyalty of his friends

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 piety Complaints began to pour in, but the Modern Orthodox court was loathe to dismiss such a genuine article as Schulman for what could only be interpreted as exemplary piety—to do so would certainly not reflect well on their institution. —

Tova Reich, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2024 Seen this way, gratitude can be an adventure, an exercise not only in piety but also in imagination. —

Danny Heitman, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Nov. 2024 When city officials mumble pieties and let lifesaving street designs get bogged down in endless studies. —

Justin Davidson, Curbed, 13 Nov. 2024 Too many liberals forgot this, which explains how a figure like Trump, with his boisterous and transgressive disdain for liberal pieties, could be reelected to the presidency. —

Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for piety

Recent Examples of Synonyms for piety

Noun

About the Author Yair Rosenberg Yair Rosenberg is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of its newsletter Deep Shtetl, about the intersection of politics, culture, and religion.

— Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025
But Michael Moreland, professor of law and religion at Villanova University, said much of the court’s decision will turn on whether charter schools are considered public.

— Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2025