saintly

adjective

ˈsānt-lē How to pronounce saintly (audio)
Definition of saintlynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 saintly Nigel once again steps in as a saintly father figure with access to a to-die-for sample closet. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for saintly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saintly
  1. pious
  2. devout
  3. religious
  4. sainted
  5. holy
  6. reverent
Adjective
  • 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
  • Adenauer, De Gasperi, and Schuman were all devout Catholics, and Monnet, though not a religious man, was born into a pious Catholic family.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of pious
Adjective
  • The religious approach appealed to devout Catholics such as Velazquez, an immigrant from Mexico who spent three decades without status in the country, cutting hair from her home and cleaning houses when business was slow.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Ade, a devout Christian and the family’s sole breadwinner, struggles to understand her younger sister Titi, an aspiring singer whose independent spirit challenges convention.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of devout
Adjective
  • Most are men between the ages of 18 and 49, without a college degree, earning less than $50,000 a year, less religious than average, and likely to also drink alcohol.
    — Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Deepak and Madhu Ahuja, Plano, Texas, business owners who have been married for 34 years, were in the area for a religious journey to Mount Kailash, a sacred site for both Hindus and Buddhists.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of religious
Adjective
  • The sainted Tom Brady had a busload of go-to receivers over the years.
    — Steve Buckley, New York Times, 2 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Paul Elie, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
Definition of sainted
Adjective
  • Once upon a time, Herzog was the crazy visionary, determined at all costs to realize his aesthetic ambitions to feel more, to see deeper, to explore the madness of the world, a bit of a holy fool himself.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Most Indians were part of groups visiting the Lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash in Tibet, holy pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of holy
Adjective
  • Around them, an aristocratic winemaker defines his legacy, a legendary maître d’hôtel seeks his heir, and a reverent wine critic pursues the sublime.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026
  • These movies always run the risk of being overly reverent, and for better and worse, Johnson’s take on Bourdain’s formative years is not concerned with reverence.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of reverent

Browse Nearby Words

saintliness
saintly
saints
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Cite this Entry

“Saintly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saintly. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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