religious 1 of 2

adjective

ri-ˈli-jəs How to pronounce religious (audio)
Definition of religiousnext
1
as in sacred
of, relating to, or used in the practice or worship services of a religion Johann Sebastian Bach wrote some of the most beautiful religious music in the world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue a deeply religious woman who eventually decided to quit her job and to become a nun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in passionate
having or expressing great depth of feeling a woman known for embracing various causes with a religious enthusiasm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

religious

2 of 2

noun

as in nun

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Dissimilar Words

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 religious
Adjective
The cowardly strike on civilians—some of whom were religious pilgrims—took the lives of at least 14 people and injured more than 300. — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 Estes said the aqueduct's water was used for both practical and religious purposes, including cleaning up after sacrifices and performing purification rituals at the Temple Mount. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
As a young religious, Bishop-elect Lombardo did missionary work in Bolivia and Honduras. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, chicagotribune.com, 11 Sep. 2020 See All Example Sentences for religious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for religious
  1. sacred
  2. pious
  3. passionate
  4. nun
  5. spiritual
  6. devout
  7. passional
  8. novice
Adjective
  • In January of 2025, at least 30 people were killed as tens of thousands of Hindus rushed to bathe in a sacred river during the Maha Kumbh festival, the world’s largest religious gathering.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Native American tribes say the approximately 520-acre site in Virginia is sacred.
    — Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of sacred
Adjective
  • But the overall picture of religious infighting in 1640s Britain is essential to understanding how some people, especially poorer folk and especially women, found themselves on the wrong side of powerful, pious opponents.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Romania is one of the most pious countries in the European Union, with around 85% of the population identifying as religious.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of pious
Adjective
  • Fans were insanely passionate and regionally focused, and the game reflected that.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Seeing what resonates with consumers and how that translates into numbers is something Fields has long been passionate about.
    — Colleen McKown, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of passionate
Noun
  • The passage concerned the confession of the nun whose rape the detective investigates.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But points must be taken off for thinking a lesbian nun would only have gotten laid as a layperson.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of nun
Adjective
  • Imam Mohammed Ali Elahi, spiritual leader of the Islamic House of Wisdom in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, is considering becoming a poll chaplain for the first time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Others hold cultural and spiritual significance, as the condor does for the Yurok Tribe in California.
    — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of spiritual
Adjective
  • Skillet now regularly shares stages with a wide range of acts, from the devout to the secular, including Korn, Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Disturbed, and Papa Roach.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The backstory Personas in the hotel’s backstory include a Thai rockstar-slash-antiques collector, a devout Buddhist business tycoon, and a superstar designer.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of devout
Adjective
  • At Fox, Collier became known for his passional embrace of blockchain, NFTs and the whole Web3 space.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 Nov. 2022
Definition of passional
Noun
  • To capture some of that essence, Guitar Center is trying to make its stores a place to hang out for novices and pros alike.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In the latest, The Big Cats Dance Party, a high-profile case falls to a novice sleuth while the agency’s founder is away.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of novice

Browse Nearby Words

religiose
religious
religiousness
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Cite this Entry

“Religious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/religious. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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