as in holiness
the quality or state of being spiritually pure or virtuous
true saintliness requires utter selflessness and devotion to others
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Recent Examples of saintliness
In the years following Wallace’s death, this aura of saintliness likely derived from the combination of his moral seriousness as a fiction writer—his attunement to the heroism of private suffering and emotional endurance—and the fact of his premature end.
—
Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saintliness
Noun
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Others limit prayer to God alone and emphasize remembering saints primarily as historical models of holiness.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Mar. 2026
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Even adversaries in the Arab world have never sunk to attacking the holiness of the Western Wall.—
Steven Burg,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Buddha offers an egalitarian path to enlightenment; Confucius codifies a religion of learning; Augustine infuses Christianity with Plato and Aristotle; Martin Luther shifts spirituality inward; Duns Scotus separates belief from knowledge; William of Ockham cultivates equality under the law.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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Her Taurus moon also occupies her 12th house, an area of the birth chart associated with spirituality, secrecy and subconscious realms.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Saintliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saintliness. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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