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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pious
Each letter comes across as a set piece, a small achievement of style and tone: Vasari’s flowery, deferential missives to the duke, Maria’s youthful ardor and confusion, the overly pious cattiness of a nun.
—
Chelsea Leu, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
For pious viewers who may traditionally shy away from the horror genre, The Bondsman may surprise with some very tender and spiritual moments.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Paxton, pious to the end, responds by talking about the Great Prayer Experiment, a (very real) series of studies that sought to test whether prayer has any tangible healing impact — and conclusively found there to be not.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
As the emboldened queen is beheaded, King Henry is seen preparing to wed his third wife, the pious and soft-spoken Jane Seymour (Kate Phillips).
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pious
Chelsea Leu, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
For pious viewers who may traditionally shy away from the horror genre, The Bondsman may surprise with some very tender and spiritual moments.
—Demetrius Patterson, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2025
Paxton, pious to the end, responds by talking about the Great Prayer Experiment, a (very real) series of studies that sought to test whether prayer has any tangible healing impact — and conclusively found there to be not.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
As the emboldened queen is beheaded, King Henry is seen preparing to wed his third wife, the pious and soft-spoken Jane Seymour (Kate Phillips).
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 23 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pious
Adjective
-
In the nearly 20 years since the show's conclusion, the loyal fanbase has pushed for a revival, and Cranston was working behind the scenes to deliver just that.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
13 June 2025
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Yet each performance feels angled at a slightly different degree, one distinct acting turn making all the difference between a charming scoundrel, a depressed artist, a loyal sidekick, an aloof intellectual, or a precocious kid.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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Bure became a devout Christian at the age of 12 and has remained outspoken about her religious beliefs and conservative political opinions.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
11 June 2025
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One such soul was Madeline Buol (1902–1986), a devout Catholic and beauty shop owner living in Dubuque, IA, right across the Mississippi River from Dickeyville.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
Despite Aspinall winning the interim crown, UFC CEO Dana White remained steadfast in saying that Jones vs. Miocic was the fight to make.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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From the outset, our firm has maintained that no one is above the law, especially those in positions of power, and that principle remains steadfast.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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Both have engendered a loyalty in their audiences which verges on the religious.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
8 June 2025
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The plaintiffs -- which included a group of Arkansas voters and the Christian Ministerial Alliance, a religious organization based in Little Rock -- argued the map weakens the weight of Black voters residing in southeast Pulaski County.—
Alex Thomas,
Arkansas Online,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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From the administration’s staunch anti-diversity stance and the military’s push to oust transgender servicemembers, to a looming US Supreme Court ruling that could upend health care for millions of LGBTQ Americans, the second Trump administration has ushered in a period of uncertainty and fear.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
7 June 2025
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Just two awards away from obtaining EGOT status, for over three decades, Foxx has maintained a repertoire of not only staunch professionalism, but also stands as a benefactor of Black male representation in entertainment.—
Ime Ekpo,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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The cyberpunk chaos spirals into shoot-outs with telekinesis and giant mutant babies, all of it spectacular and ingrained in reverent filmmakers’ memories.—
Kambole Campbell,
Vulture,
25 Apr. 2025
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Of course, Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron is still a reverent work, leaving out a few messier strands of the man’s life that Miyazaki-heads might be curious about.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
12 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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No one needs a live-action remake, but ones this faithful and sweet are not the problem.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 June 2025
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Both faithful and former members have been posting online about the change, and some of the comments have been angry.—
Lauren Jackson,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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In this environment, the billion-dollar unicorn model, the holy grail of startup success for decades, no longer feels viable for many founders.—
Wayne Liu,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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This soothing moisturizer is my holy grail, and PEOPLE readers can try it now for 20 percent off with the code DDM20 at checkout.—
Rachel Trujillo,
People.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pious. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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