as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue
a saintly man who devoted his life to caring for the dying
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Recent Examples of saintly
The power struggle swirls around the saintly, ineffectual King Henry until gradually the dynamic York, who has pretended to support Margaret while secretly hatching his own plot, emerges as the chief contender for the throne.
—
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Where ancient midwives had summoned divine assistance by uttering incantations, medieval maternity caregivers called upon saintly mothers by reciting rhythmical charms.
—
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
The truth is that the flamenco-fusion artist undertook years of research and hired the London Symphony Orchestra not to teach—nor even, despite her saintly air, to preach.
—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Plus, their father was the deacon of the local Catholic congregation – all the more reason to maintain a saintly lifestyle.
—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for saintly
Gitanjali Roy,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Where ancient midwives had summoned divine assistance by uttering incantations, medieval maternity caregivers called upon saintly mothers by reciting rhythmical charms.
—
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
The truth is that the flamenco-fusion artist undertook years of research and hired the London Symphony Orchestra not to teach—nor even, despite her saintly air, to preach.
—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Plus, their father was the deacon of the local Catholic congregation – all the more reason to maintain a saintly lifestyle.
—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for saintly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saintly
Adjective
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Others regard the unum as a pious myth.
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However, this distinction did more than pit pious Americans against an atheist enemy.
Adjective
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For a devout convert to Catholicism, Vance has a bumpy history with the Vatican.
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Fearing a loss of their significant clout and influence, devout Protestants revived the earlier campaign to write their faith commitments into the Constitution.
Adjective
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Having witnessed centuries of religious warfare in Europe, when millions were killed for their beliefs, the framers took pains to make sure nothing like that would happen here.
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Supporters argue that the gatherings represent a form of devotion untethered from rigid rituals and the gatekeeping normally associated with temples or religious processions.
Adjective
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The sainted Tom Brady had a busload of go-to receivers over the years.
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The movement had adherents among the student body and on the faculty at the Catholic University in Chiclayo, which has about ten thousand students, and the cathedral boasted an enormous portrait of Josemaria Escrivá, Opus Dei’s sainted founder.
Adjective
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There are flag sweaters and skate sneakers and prairie skirts; there are Cheyanne moccasins and Mennonite bonnets and the not-quite-holy Yankees baseball cap.
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The devil invades a Georgetown home, and holy men have quite the job to do on a demonic little girl.
Adjective
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Not a hushed and reverent scene at all, lively and fun.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Saintly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saintly. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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