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pious Synonyms

Another word for pious

Choosing another word for pious depends on context, so the 20 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 3 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Devoutly religious; exhibiting strict reverence and dutiful devotion to God or religious practices.

Usage Example

"His grandmother was a devout woman who attended church every morning and spent her evenings in quiet prayer."

Strongest
devout
religious
reverent
Strong
godly
prayerful
faithful
spiritual
saintly

• adjective (Context 2)

Making a hypocritical, ostentatious, or self-righteous display of virtue or morality.

Usage Example

"The politician delivered a sanctimonious lecture on fiscal responsibility shortly before his own extravagant expenses were leaked to the press."

Strongest
sanctimonious
self-righteous
holier-than-thou
Strong
hypocritical
unctuous
moralistic
preachy
smug

• adjective (Context 3)

Sincere and well-intentioned but ultimately impractical or unlikely to be fulfilled (especially of a hope or wish).

Usage Example

"Without binding enforcement mechanisms, the treaty's pledge to eliminate carbon emissions remains little more than a well-intentioned hope."

Strong
well-intentioned
well-meaning
idealistic
wishful

Opposites of pious

The opposite of pious shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

impious
irreligious
sincere
irreverent
genuine
ungodly
pragmatic
realistic
See all opposites of pious

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Pious. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/pious
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