impious
Americanadjective
-
not pious or religious; lacking reverence for God, religious practices, etc.; irreligious; ungodly.
- Synonyms:
- irreverent, blasphemous, sacrilegious
adjective
-
lacking piety or reverence for a god; ungodly
-
lacking respect; undutiful
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of impious
Explanation
To be impious is to be disrespectful of god or duty. When someone is being impious they are doing things that their church, synagogue, temple, mosque, school principal, government or parents would find unacceptable. When you don’t show reverence for religion or god, you are impious. The adjective impious is related to the word piety, which means religious reverence. To be impious is to be without piety. Being impious is similar to being blasphemous, but it’s a little more passive to be impious, while blasphemy is more actively insulting. Also, when you act out against tradition or dutifulness, you could be considered impious. If you dodge a military draft, you will likely be considered impious.
Vocabulary lists containing impious
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
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"Common Sense," Vocabulary from the pamphlet
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Common Sense
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Impious youth," the bishop, who was in full pontificals, said, "you would never dare to hang priests."
From Saint Bartholomew's Eve A Tale of the Huguenot WarS by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
I say no, it is not the Prosperity, it is an Impious deed that breeds Impious deeds like the parent stock.
From Story of Orestes A Condensation of the Trilogy by Moulton, Richard Green
The sweet Lady took all her Promises for sterling, and kissing her Impious Hand, humbly return’d her Thanks.
From The Works of Aphra Behn Volume V by Summers, Montague
Impious and daring mortal; why presumest thou to intrude here, where none like thee are permitted to come?
From A Book for the Young by French, Sarah
Impious, truly, if we held that this spirit of truth was a part of your own self.
From Phaethon by Kingsley, Charles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
